THE order of giving this Book of the Revelation is very observable; For God the Father gave it to his Son Jesus Christ; Christ to his Angel, the Angel to John, and John to the Seven Churches in Asia. Rev. 1.1, 4. It's observed, that this John was honour­ed to be an Evangelist in his Gospel; an Apostle in his Epistles: and a Prophet in his Revelation. It is a Book of singular use to Christians to the end of the world: And though many things in it are very [Page 2]mysterious, which Christ will reveal to his Servants in their proper seasons, yet many things are more clear and obvious. The Epistles to the Churches, though directed to the Angel of each Church, yet concern the whole body, and each member; and therefore it's said, He that hath an ear, let him hear what the spirit speaks unto the Churches: This is spoken to each particular Church, which plainly shews they were all bound to at­tend the voice of the Holy Ghost in all that is delivered; yea, all the Church­es that have been since, now are, or e­ver shall be, are concerned in it; for all that is written, is for our learning, up­on whom the ends of the world are come, Rom. 15.4. The Text is the con­clusion of that Epistle directed to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus: By the Angel, some understand the Mini­sters, so stiled to shew both their digni­ty and duty. This Ephesus was that fa­mous City, Acts 19. where the great goddess. Diana was so much esteemed, in which a Church was planted, at first vigorous and flourishing; but at this [Page 3]time declining, both in her inward af­fection and outward conversation: cal­led [...] from [...], which signifies remisness, she abating of her first Love, and declining from her first: Works. Now the words of the Text are a gra­cous and sweet promise given out to encourage her to repentance and a re­covery of her self: Having used threat­ning arguments, he concludes with this excellent and full promise, if by any means she might be brought to re­member whence she was fallen, and might get Victory over her present dangerous Distempers: To him that o­vercometh, I will give to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God. Here is

• 1. The matter of the promise, to eat of the Tree of Life, which is described by the scituation of it, in the midst of the Paradise of God.
• 2. The condition of it overcoming, The Doctrine is this.

Doct. That Overcomers shall eat of the Tree of Life in Gods Paradise. Here is something implied, and also something expressed, of these in order.

1 That which is implied is, that we have Enemies who fight against us, and seek our destruction for ever, against whom we are to manage a Spiritual Warfare; and though none under twen­ty years old in Israel, went forth to War, yet here none are exempted: not only are Ministers called to act and quit themselves as good Soldiers of Je­sus the Christ, 1 Tim. 2.4. as Timothy was, the Weapons of whose Warfare are not Carnal, but Spiritual, as St. Paul speaks 2 Cor. 10.4. They are to fight by the preaching of the Word, weilding well that sword of the Spirit, by Church censures, by enduring hardship, and the like; yet is not the War limited to them, but every one must come out to the battel, even young ones must strive to fight this good fight, wherein the glory of God, and the cause of their Souls are eminently concerned. This world is the field in which the Battels are to be fought, and the War managed: In Heaven there are no Enemies, nor shall they there learn War any more; 'Tis true, we read there was war in Hea­ven, [Page 5] Rev. 12.7. and the Dragon and his angels fought; but it is meant of the Church here, often called Heaven in Scripture and in this Book of the Re­velation; This world is the Enemies Country, and while the Church is here, it must be militant, in a conflicting and warring condition, and this without in­termission; the Enemies are restless and implacable, and will admit no truce, no cessation of arms: In Heaven above they are Triumphant, having Crowns on their Heads, and Palms in their hands in token of full Victory; but here we must all hold swords, and labour to be expert in war, every one having his sword upon his thigh, Cant. 3. 8. be­cause of fear in the night; this war is both defensive and offensive; we must not only be standing upon our guard in our own defence, but God hath pro­vided armour by which we may over­come our Enemies and worst them in the Combate: as they said of old, to your Tents O Israel; so let me say, to your arms, to your arms, O all ye chil­dren of men, especially, O all Believers; [Page 6]take to you the whole armour of God, whereby ye may be able to withstand in every evil day, and having done all to stand: For this is not an arbitrary business, but of that absolute necessity, that we must either fight or dye, kill or be killed, conquer our Enemies, or be finally and eternally overcome by them: The Trumpet of the Gospel gives no uncertain sound, 1 Tim. 6.12. but requires us to prepare our selves to the Battel. If any say, who, or where are our Enemies? I answer, the Flesh, the Devil, and the World, are the professed and avowed Enemies of our Souls.

1. The Flesh; our carnal and world­ly lusts; these are our worst Enemies; the greatest fight is within; quot vitia, tot inimici: as many Adversaries as there are corruptions: 2 Kings 11. 13, 14. when Athaliah heard the noise of the Guard and of the People in the Temple, She came into the Temple, and seeing them in their Warlike posture, she rent her Clothes, and cried Treason, Trea­son: when we look into our hearts, which should be the Temples of God, [Page 7]and find so many lusts gathered toge­ther there, that are Enemies to Christ, and would not he should reign in us, and seek to betray our Souls to the Ene­mies without us, we may well cry out Treason, Treason. Proud lusts, cove­tous lusts, unclean lusts, lying and hy­pocrisy, distrust and infidelity, with a great Regiment besides, these war con­tinually against our Souls, and fight a­gainst the Government of Christ and the Dominion of his Spirit and Grace in us; against these therefore we should bend our main Forces: more especially;

• 1. Against the sin of our Nature: This is called the Law in our Members, and is said to war against the Law of our mind: Rom. 7.23. This enemy is ever present with us, as the Apostle St. Paul complained; when we should doe good, it is present, either to divert us from it, or distract us in it. This is a very importunate e­vil, a wrestless and unwearied Enemy: we may cease evil acts, when we cannot avoid inward motions: this was it which made that excellent Apostle cry out, O wretched man that I am, Rom. 7.24. [Page 8] who shall deliver me?
• 2. The special, predominant, and most beloved Deli­lah, the sin that doth more easily beset us, we should bend our utmost strength against this: every one hath a peccatum in deliciis, a darling sin, a right eye of pleasure, a right hand of profit; and though no true Believer can have a be­loved sin, for he hates every false way, yet some sin there is by which he is most easily overcome; and against this the heat of the Battel should be directed; As it was said of old fight neither with small nor great, but with the King of Israel 1 Kin. 33.31.

So say I, fight above all with the Ruling lust and predominant cor­ruption: the sin that we cannot well hear reproved, can hardly tell how to part with, are most delighted and plea­sed in the thoughts of it, is first in a morning and last at night with us: Oh this is that Enemy which when it kis­seth, is ready to kill us; we may easily see the dagger it hath, ready to strike us under the firth rib, even when it fawns and flatters most, as Joab did to Abner: we can never be too careful here, to [Page 9]stand upon our watch, to keep guard against it, as David did; Psal. 18.23. I was also upright before God, says he, and kept my self from mine inquity: No better means of safety, no greater sign of integrity, then to keep our selves from our iniquity: Let our chief war be against these indwelling Ene­mies, especially, against the sin of our Nature, and the evil we are most apt to indulge, and are most addicted to, and the Victory over the rest will be rendred much more facile and easy.

2. Satan is another of those Enemies to be encountred by us; for the Dra­gon and his Angels fight against us; they assault us with all sorts of dangerous weapons: we read of the wiles of the Devil; Ephes. 6. the devices or methods of Satan: 2 Cor. 2.11. the fiery darts of that wicked one: Diabolus est methodi­dicus ad fallendum: Hence the Apostle brings in Satan under the notion of a Sol­dier, against whom we are to combate: and a subtil Enemy he is 2 Cor. 11.13, for he has bin experienced in warring against mens Souls for above 5000 years; He [Page 10]labours sometimes to beat their Armour out of their hand, especially the shield of Faith, and the sword of the Spirit, because these prejudice him most. He watches the fittest time to assault; the policy of Souldiers is seen in observing the right season, so doth Satan: he takes the time of Solitariness, the time of Sleepiness, or the time of Weariness, and the like. He takes the advantage of place: Souldiers that are to fight, have a special regard to the ground they are to fight upon, that they may there­by get some advantage against their E­nemies, so Satan does; he observes the ground we stand upon: if upon high places, he knows how to lay his snares there, and to entice us by the inordi­nate love of earthly things, from God and his ways; if upon low places, he has his wiles there, temptations suitable to a poor condition: Hence is the re­quest of that wise man, Give, me nei­ther Poverty nor Riches; Prov. 30.8, 9. he was not ignorant of Satans devi­ces. In both, in a word, he holds, cor­respondence with that in party in us, which [Page 11]he knows is true to him, our sin and corruption: this is the treacherous party within, which he engageth to betray us into his hand without: which makes our condition dangerous, by giving such advantage to Satan. 2 Cor. 7.5. With­out are fightings, and within are fears, because he hath always a party in our bosomes true to his cause: It is this that renders him so formidable an Enemy; if all were right within us, he would lose his designs upon us, as he did up­on Christ: The Prince of this World cometh, says he, and hath nothing in me. Joh. 14.30. But in Believers he finds an army of doubtings and carnal fears; troops of carnal reasonings and disputings, these take part with him, and give him often to overcome them; others he takes captive at his will; but even good men by gi­ving place to him, and by being betray­ed by their corruptions, are worsted by him. How greatly then doth it con­cern them and all others to resist this adversary at the first, and not give way to him? Turpius ejicitur, quam non ad­mittitur hostis: He is more easily kept [Page 12]out at first, than cast out afterwards. Add to all this, He is an active and dili­gent enemy; called [...] for [...] the wicked one; because he is always en­deavouring to circumvent, and labour­ing to destroy Souls. He is a potent e­nemy; though he hath lost all his holi­ness, yet not his strength; they are principalities and power still. He is a present enemy, can be always at our right hand whereever we are; no place can be a sanctuary to us from his assaults: Some think by shutting themselves up in a cloister, they can shut out Satan, and that he dares not come where they sprinkle holy-water; but he can be with us in any place, and let us be never so secret and close, we cannot exclude two from being present with us, viz. God and Satan. He is a cruel enemy, espe­cially to those who yield to him; the natural Lion, they say, spares him that submits to him; hence that, Satis est prostrasse Leoni: But this merciless Li­on, roars most terribly upon, and carries it most cruelly to those who yield. In a word, he is a constant adversary; 'Tis [Page 13]said, Saul became Davids enemy conti­nually, 1 Sam. 18.29. This is true here, Satan is an implacable, perpetual enemy, and therefore we must fight, per aper­tum mortem, by open defiance of him and all his attempts; and though we war, impari proelio, he being upon the upper ground, the Prince of the Air, spiritual wickedness in high places, so that we are like little David to great Goliah; yet if we act our parts well, though we be too weak, yet we have a good second, Psal. 89.19. God hath laid help upon one that is mighty; of which more afterward.

3. The World is another enemy we are to combat and grapple with; we read much of overcoming the world in the Epistle of St. John, not by carnal wea­pons, for Christ bid Peter put up his Sword when he would be fighting; but with spiritual Armor. What is the evil, may some say, that is in the world to be overcome? I would say thus, Take the creatures as they come out of Gods hand, so they are good, and make no war against us, nor are we called to put [Page 14]forth any acts of hostility against them; but as our other enemies, Sin and Satan, make them instruments to ourhurt, and cause us to misimploy them. Every creature of God it good, 1 Tim. 4.3, 4. if sanctified by the Word and Prayer; but by the sinful abuse of them, turn to evil, and help on the ruine of men. E­very thing is apt to become a trap and a snare to defile and destroy us; upon which account alone we are called forth to fight against them. To instance, In our attaining great things in the world, it is our enemy: They that will be rich, per fas, & nefas, right or wrong, 1 Tim. 6.9, 10. slighty in the great matters of their Souls and Eternity, but eager in coveting and pursuing earthly things; these fall into a share, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition; For the love of money is the root of all evil, and they who are violent in the pursuit of it, have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. De­mas, Judas, and many Thousands be­sides have found the truth of these [Page 15]things; Soenior armis incumbet luxuria, Juv. So in our retaining the world, there is a dangerous snare, as well as in attaining of them: The hold-fast; men have of these things, is like a mans holding red-hot Iron, or a Firebrand, a­gainst which he has need of some pre­servative. This was the young mans utter ruine, of whom the Gospel makes mention. There is that scattereth, and yet encreaseth; and there is that with-holdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to pover­ty, says Solomon, Prov. 11.24. Further, In the very enjoying of the world, there is an evil to be fought against, which is, that it stick not too near our heart: Wisdom is good with an inheri­tance, Eccles. 7.11. Godly wisdom: though wisdom without an inheritance is apt to be despised: no man remem­bred that wise man who delivered the City, because he was a poor man, Eccl. 9.15. yet an inheritance without wis­dom, is not good to the owner of it, but a temptation, fuel of lust, pride, vanity, and so is harmful for want of this wisdom to order and keep it in its [Page 16]right place, out of the heart. Moreo­ver, there is hostility to be used against the world, even in our passing through the world; lest it cause us to lose our sight of God, by interposing between him and us. A man may hide the Sun from his eye with his hand. A little of the world, if we be not careful, may be like a cloud, which will keep us from the sight of God: But to be curnbred with a multiplicity of cares about these things, is to set great mountains be­tween him and us, to cause an eclipse of his countenance, that we cannot behold him: The Moon eclipseth the Sun from our sight; earthly things hide the gra­cious sace of God from us, if we be not very watchful against them. Yet fur­ther, we are to fight against this ene­my, as it doth oppose grace, and hinder us in our faith, hope, and charity. In our Faith; he that sees a fair estate, had need pray and say, Lord, draw the curtain, and let me by faith see thee and thy beauty and glory: The God of glo­ry, Acts 7. (or God in his glory) ap­peared unto Abraham, and this so dark­ned [Page 17]the glory of this world, that by Faith he left all at the call of God: So much as we fix our eye upon the crea­ture, so much the less we see of God; and so much the more our faith is hin­dered. When Jacob had least of this world, he saw most of God; and so it is with many: So for hope, the world of­ten hurts that: the soul is ready to say, How shall I travel over the fords and deeps of the world? how shall I be able to resign up my all? This is hard and difficult, to sell all, to part with all; the hope of better things will carry us through it, but if we fix here, hope is lost: so love and charity, they are de­filed; there is spiritual whoredom be­tween the Soul and the Creature, by the love of the world; Ye adulterers and adulteresses, says St. James, Jam. 4.4. know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Some take it for that spiritual adultrey, wherein a man gives his love away from God to the Creature: where love to the world prevails, the best things are slighted and undervalued; we ought to hate Father [Page 18]and Mother, Brother and Sister, Houses and Lands, yea, and our own Life also, for Christ's sake, Luke 14.26. when they stand between us and God, then away with them; had we not need watch and war against the world, to subdue it and get the upper hand of it? 1 Cor. 6.12. All things are lawful, but I will not he brought under the power of any, saith St. Paul. He would stand upon the liberty and priviledg Christ gave him, he would have the upper hand of these things, nothing should command his love, his fear, or his joy: and it is sweet walking with God, when in this frame of Spirit. That man who stands in right terms with the things of the world, is content in every condition, instructed in all things, and can be in want or abound, as it pleaseth God to order for him; and this we should ac­count better then the greatest estate in the Countrey: these will come on faster in all grace, that can cast off this weight, and will run the race set before them, and none shall hinder them: this is the generation of Travellers: when Jacob [Page 19]went from his Fathers House, he had but a staff, and a stone; a staff to walk with in the day, and a stone to rest his head upon in the night; yet he returned two bands, and glorious visions of God were given him, Gen. 31. Gen. 32. though he met with hardship, yet these made him pluck up his feet, and go on chear­fully. This will put resolution into the heart of a Christian, Acts 20.23, 24. None of these things move me, saith St. Paul, neither do I count my life dear, so I may finish my course with joy. This is that which is implied, That we have Enemies to war and combate with, and we hear what they are.

2. That which is expressed is, that Overcomers; all that get Victory of these Enemies, shall eat of the Tree of Life in God's Paradise. Some, Questi­ons follow for a brief explication of this proposition.

Quest. Who may be said to be Over­comers?

Answ. This Apostle doth best of all resolve the Question: which he first propounds, and then answers. 1 Jo. 5.5. [Page 20] Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? Though the world is only named, yet all the Enemies are inclu­ded; for he that gets victory over one, overcomes them all: some will say, who doth not believe this, that Jesus is the Son of God? There will soon be an end of the war, if this be all, the Victory will be easy: let such know, that though there be no great difficulty in giving our assent to this proposition, yet the Deity of Christ hath been denied and opposed by none of the meanest for learning; not onely by the Pharisees whilst he himself lived, but in the times when this Apostle wrote his Epistle; and afterwards by the Arrians, and So­cinians of late. How few imbrace it with a Divine Faith, which is the only Faith that overcomes in the day of try­al? Some take this up upon reasons of antiquity, Authority and Consent of the Church in which they live, but this Faith will not give us Victory; if great trials arise upon this Fundamental Article in the Creed: when the Apostle [Page 21]wrote this, it was the critical point, the Shibboleth, as I may say, by which one was distinguished from another; the discriminating Doctrine; the word of Christ's patience. Persecution rose so high upon the defenders of this great truth, as their Liberties and Lives were in danger to be taken from them for maintaining it; at such a day not to be afraid to confess Christ to be the Eternal Son of God, gave a comfortable ground to conclude them true Believers; such Faith might charitably be judged right, by which they thus overcame the world. 'Tis an easy thing when a Protestant Prince reigns, to declare we believe that Transubstantiation is an error, contrary to Scripture, reason, and our very sen­ses; but if Popery should come in like a flood, and be the prevailing Interest, and condemn them to be burnt for He­reticks who deny it, as was the case of the Martyrs in the Marian days; then to be stedfast even to the death in this perswasion, would be a very hopeful evidence of the truth of our belief, and of our Victory over the World. So in [Page 22]the case this Text mentions; O how few would find Faith and Patience, to help them to seal to this, That Christ is the Son of God, Coessential and Coeter­nal with the Father, with their blood! How few would dare to appear to own it, as it is said, Athinasius did, when the World was in a manner, over-run with Arianism? When St. Peter had maid that excellent confession, Matth. 16.16, 17. Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God, what says Christ to this? Blessed art thou Simon, &c. and though he was afterwards foiled, yet he overcame all in the end. Acts 4.19.

Quest. 2. What is that Paradise of God promised here to Overcomers?

Answ. Heaven, even the third Hea­ven, the true Celestial Paradise. For what in one verse, 2 Cor. 12.2, 4. St. Paul stiles the third Heaven, in another, he calls it Paradise: And thus to be taken in the Text and Doctrine now before us. Here seems to be an allusion to the Garden of Eden, where God disposed of Adam after he had created him, Gen. 13.10. stiled the Garden of God; which was a [Page 23]large circuit of ground, richly furnish­ed with all good things, as became so excellent a Workman; and was every way answerable to the ends for which it was prepared, Cant. 4.12. Some judge it was a type of the Church, which is called a Garden enclosed, and a Figure of Heaven: It was doubtless the choi­cest spot of ground in the World; there were all sort of pleasant Trees, and de­lightful Fruits; and free liberty to eat of them all, one onely excepted. Who can declare the delights of the Celestial Paradise? Eden had a very famous Ri­ver that ran through it, and watered it, Psal. 46.4. So there is a River in Heaven, far excelling that, the Streams whereof make glad that City of God: It doth overflow to refresh the Church here, but runs with a full current there, and ravish the Inhabitants of that Paradise with unexpressible pleasures for ever­more. In Eden of old, the Covenant between God and Adam was perfect, till man brake it: In Heaven, the new Co­venant and all the mysteries of Grace therein are accomplished. Adam was [Page 24]without sin and sorrow, and might ea­sily have so kept himself, when he was in Eden: But there is no possibility of sin or trouble in the heavenly Paradise. In the Garden of Eden, Adam had free access to, and fellowship with his Crea­tor; but in Heaven they have it with God as a Father, and more fully and durably then Adam had; by which we may see the Paradise, what it is.

Quest. 3. Who and what is the Tree of Life mentioned in the Text?

Answ. Christ himself, and he onely, is the true Tree of Life. Pro. 3.18. So stiled by Solomon, under the name of Wisdom; thus he speaks of Christ; She is a Tree of Life to them that lay hold up­on her; an allusion to that Tree of Life which was in the Garden of Eden; which is made by some a Sacrament, and Seal of that Covenant, by which God assu­red Adam the continuance of his natural Life during his abode on Earth; and E­ternal Life when he should be removed from hence, in case he kept this Cove­nant. They who lay hold on Christ by true Faith, have the best Seal that can [Page 25]be of Spiritual and Eternal Life; 1 Jo. 5.12. He that hath the Son, hath Life; the Fountain of Life, the Bread of Life, the Water of Life, the Well of Life, the Tree of Life. That Tree in Eden was, as some judge, both alimentum and me­dicamentum; food and physick; so is Christ: he is the Tree of Life that is said to bear twelve manner of Fruits e­very month, and whose Leaves are for the healing of the nations, Rev. 22.2. That Tree of Life in Eden, stood in the midst of the Garden, Gen. 2.9. that it might be often in the view of our first Parents, which way soever they went, either to their Food or to their Employ­ment. Christ is in the midst of the Pa­radise of God, and will be in the view of all Believers for ever. Those Trees of Righteousness will be round about him to all Eternity. But you will say,

Quest. 4. What is it to eat of this Tree of Life?

Answ. To eat, is to press forth the ver­tue and sweetness that is in our Food, that we may partake of the benefit there­of. Overcomers shall participate of the [Page 26]fulness of Christ to their own joy. In eating there is a natural delight arising from the taste of our meat: 'tis said, They did eat, Neh. 9.15. and delighted themselves in thy great goodness: so of o­thers, that they did eat and were all filled: 1 Kings 19. Elijah did eat and was strengthened: of another 'tis said, 1 Sam. 30. he did eat, and his Spirit came a­gain, and he revived. They that get Victory over their Spiritual Enemies, shall feed and feast themselves upon Je­sus Christ the true Tree of Life in Hea­ven, whereby all their desires shall be satisfied, and their Appetites quenched, and they everlastingly strengthened, to behold his glory, and to follow him whe­thersoever he goeth.

Quest. 5. Why does the promise run in these terms, That he will make them eat of the tree of life in the midst of the para­dice of God?

Answ. Partly to mind us of that first sin by which we were overcome in A­dam, as he was the publick head and re­presentative of all mankind, that we may be humbled for it; and partly to [Page 27]shew us that this happiness then lost, is recoverable by Christ, the second Adam, and shall be the portion of them that o­vercome: Not that they shall return a­gain to the Garden of Eden, as some have concluded from this Text; but a far more excellent estate and felicity than we should have had, if Adam had never fallen: which caused some to cry out, O felix peccatum! O happy sin of Adam, which has occasioned the bringing in of a far better estate! The Uses follow:

Ʋse 1. Are these things true! Behold here the misery of all such as are total­ly and finally overcome by the grand e­nemies of their souls; they are excluded for ever from the good of this promise; as Christ said of them who slighted the invitation of the Gospel, Luke 14.24. They shall never taste of my supper. So he speaks of these here, I will never give them to eat of my fruits, those fruits which grow upon me the tree of Life. They have temporal delights which are a pa­radise to them, and are so well satisfied with these things, That a Noble man in [Page 28] France is reported to say, He would not change his part in Paris for a part in Para­dise. Such a one was the young man in the Gospel, who would not quit his earthly treasures for heavenly, and these assured by Christ himself. Worldly con­tents are their chief joy, though but a Fools paradise. Thou fool, says Christ to him that bid his soul take its ease, for he had goods for many years, Luke 12.20. Solomon among other vanities, planted Orchards and Gardens with variety of Trees, Eccles. 2. but not a Tree of Life amongst them all. Oh! that men could believe how sad their end will be, who have no better things than these, who get no spiritual conquests over the ene­mies of their Souls; their end will be eternal expulsion and exclusion from the Paradise of God. As God sent forth, and drove out Adam from the Garden of Eden (whether by his word of command, or by forcible strength, is not material) never to return thither again, Gen. 3.23, 24. so will he drive away all the wicked like chaff, and scatter them like smoke, that they never enter in the ce­lestial [Page 29]Paradise: And as God set an An­gel with a flaming Sword, which turned every way to keep the way of the Tree of Life, that Adam might not eat of it, having by his sin lost his right unto it; so whosoever is finally overcome by Sin, Satan, and the World, living and dying under the full power and dominion of these enemies, the flaming Sword of Di­vine justice will for ever keep them out of the Paradise of God, and from eating of the Tree of Life that grows there; Oh! that men would believe this re­port, and in time labour to prevent it.

Ʋse 2. This Doctrine is a ground of strong consolation to all overcomers:

• 1. They shall enjoy the heavenly Para­dise, where are far greater delights than in the Garden of Eden; Eden was earth­ly, this is heavenly: The Serpent got into Eden; Satan that old Serpent, can never wind himself into the heavenly Pa­radise. In Eden our first Parents sinned and broke covenant with God; in Hea­ven they have an impossibility of falling. Adam was driven out from the Garden [Page 30]of Eden; but none are expelled from the Paradise above.
• 2. They shal [...] [...]at of the Tree of Life, feed upon Christ there: this is the Paradise of Paradise, the Heaven of Heaven it self. Psal. 73.25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee? says that holy David.

This was the li­ving Cordial Christ gave the penitent Thief in his dying hour, Luke 23.43. To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. To have Christ be with us here, though in affliction, in prison, is an inestimable good and precious favour; but to be with Christ is best of all. This may sweeten your Christian warfare, if you consider how much this Tree excels that in Eden; that was material, this spiritu­al; that grew out of the Earth, this grew in God's Bosom, and was from Heaven; that Tree had no life in it self more then any other of the Trees of the Garden, but should have continued life to Adam if he had not sinned, du­ring the Divine pleasure, meerly by God's institution; but Christ hath life in himself, and quickens whom he will. Adam never eat of that Tree of life; all [Page 31]true [...]lievers shall partake of this. The [...] was a flaming-sword to keep all from coming to that Tree in Eden; but here will be no obstruction, nor any cause of separation from Christ. That Tree of old is long since perished, and that Garden destroyed; but these abide fresh and glorious for ever. Methinks the serious consideration of these things might allay the bitterness of present troubles; Exod. 15.25. when the wa­ters were bitter, so that the Children of Israel could not drink of them, Moses took a Tree which the Lord had shewed him, and cast it into the waters and they became sweet: The most bitter waters of affliction, may be sweetned by Faith acted on Christs love in them; Whom the Lord loves he rebukes and cha­stens: They all come through Christ; every rod of affliction is gathered off this Tree of Life by a Fathers hand: A few leaves of this Tree put into the cup of affliction, takes away the bitterness thereof, and turns it into a cup of conso­lation, yea, a cup of salvation to all be­lievers. Oh that you would comfort [Page 32]your selves, and one another, with these things! If any object and say, I fear I shall never overcome, but my sin and the world will conquer me, the Devil will at last prevail, and I shall one day perish at their hands; Let such a Soul know and believe, that what is spoken to Dan for his encouragement, Gen. 49.19. is for its comfort in all its wars and combats with these enemies; A troop shall overcome him; but he shall overcome at the last. A man that wrestles or fights with his enemy, may be foiled and worded at first, and yet recover himself, and get the victory in the end. Peter was worsted at first in the combat, yet gets up again and conquers all opposition, Acts 4.19. He that is thrown down by his enemy, and lies still in and under his fall, not striving to rise and recover himself, this man is fully overcome; but thus it is not with any true believer: Let none such be discouraged, though never so weak, but remember that of Solomon, Eccles. 9.11. The race is not to the swift, nor the battel to the strong; on­ly believe and ye shall see the Glory of [Page 33]God, the glorious wisdom and power of God working out your Victory. When some brought an ill report upon the promised Land, Num. 13.17, 28, 29, 30. and weakened the hands and hearts of the people, by telling them of the walled Cities, and the Children of Anak, and other things to discourage them from fighting, Caleb a man of ex­cellent Faith and Courage stilled the peo­ple before Moses, and said, Let us go up and possess it, for we are well able to over­come it: This was he that afterwards God brought into the Land, Numb. 14.24. being a man of another Spirit, and followed the Lord fully, when the other died in the Wilderness and never came thether: Heb. 3. ult. and the Scripture saith, they could not enter in because of unbelief: O let all take heed of an evil heart of unbelief, and the day is yours; believe you shall overcome, and you shall surely overcome. 1 Joh. 5.4. This is the Victory whereby every one that is born of God overcometh the World, the Devil, and their Corruptions, even their Faith: 1 Tim. 6.12. Fight the good fight [Page 34]of Faith, says the Apostle to Timothy: above all take the shield of Faith Eph. 6.16. this overcomes all before it: Even Christ himself yields to this. Thus he speaks to the Spouse, Cant. 6.5. Turn a­way thine eyes from me, for they have o­vercome me: he yields himself conquered to the Faith of his people: and much more will it overcome the Enemies. Gen. 32.28, when Jacob had prevailed over the Angel, he soon saw a Victory over his Brother Esaus wrath, Gen. 33.10. Oh! that you would stir up Faith, all things are possible to him that believeth: the Lord encrease our Faith. To con­clude,

Ʋse. 3. Let us be exhorted to cou­rage and▪ confidence to this holy war, for you fight not as uncertain of Victory, not as those that beat the air; Let no­thing here below hinder us, 2 Tim. 2.4. no man that warreth, entangleth himself in the affairs of this Life: but strives to please him that hath chosen him to be a Souldier. If a Soulder be in Garison he may work on his Trade, yet so as to be [Page 35]ready to march at the beat of the Drum, or sound of the Trumpet, but when in the Field, he; must wholly attend the war: we may use the world, but as if we u­sed it not; in our employments and enjoy­ments of it and in it, we must be abstract­ed from it, or we shall never come off well in the day of Battel; if we be entangled and ensnared by it in our affections, and not in a constant readiness at the call of God to engage the Enemy, we shall come of with dishonour and damage, dishonour to him that calls us to fight, and damage to our own Souls. There are many things to encourage Christians to look about them, and quit themselves like men, and be strong: as,

• 1. The paucity of those who conquer; To him that overcometh, says the Text: Not to them, but to him, to note they are but few. Christ prophesied that many will be offended, Matth. 24.9, 10. The love of many shall wax cold, and it is but a He that endureth to the end. Oh how great a mercy will it he to be found in that remnant. David had many Sol­diers, few Worthies; many make a [Page 36]scuffle and seem to fight, few are in good earnest and fight valiantly:
• 2. There are some advantages Believers have, which if well improved may give them the upper hand of their Enemies;
  • 1. They have the armour of God; that belongs to every Christian: when Da­vid was to fight against Goliah, 1 Sam. 17.38, 39. he was presented with the best Armour, even by the King himself, which was no small encouragement. Believers are presented with a whole coat of excellent Armour, every piece of it is Armour of proof, and this by the King of Kings: Saul's Armour was too heavy for David, he attempted to go in it, but could not: God hath made every piece of the Spiritual Armour fit and suitable to every true Believer.
  • 2. They have Christ for their Standard-bearer, whose heart fainted not, nor melted away, as the Prophet Esay men­tions, Esay 10.18. The Standard-bearer fainteth; when he sees the Army rout­ed, he casts away his Colours and flecth; so did not Christ; hence that of St. Paul, Gal. 6.14. God forbid I should glory in any [Page 37]thing save in the Cross of Christ, viz. in the death and sufferings of Christ; I will not leave my Colours, I find the world, and my worldly affections dead, and doubt not but to have compleat Victo­ry in due time.
  • 3. They have the mi­nistry of Angels, and the special con­duct of God with them.

All things come alike to all in the Court of Nature, but things come in special to some in the Court of Grace: they have more for them than against them, 2 Kings 6.16.17. which if their eyes were open they might see: And if God be for them, who can be against them? Rom. 8.31. The success must needs be on their side, because having such a conduct, they can march on, preventing and avoiding the stratagems of the Enemy: The A­postle Paul took it for a singular privi­ledge, 1 Cor. 9.26, 27. that he could so run and so fight as to obtain, and keep under his Enemy, and not be a cast-away; yea, by this they do not on­ly spy out the drift of the Enemy, but can fetch in Recruit and fresh Auxiliaries in time of need, Heb. 4.16. When their [Page 38]own strength fails, God gives in assisting Grace, fresh anointings, surmounting the Grace they had before, as he sees the matter requireth: David could en­courage himself in the Lord his God: hence could say, Psal. 18.1. I will love thee, O Lord my strength; and he had good reason, 1 Sam. 30.6, 7. for when the Amalekites had carried away all, God strengthened him to pursue after them, and to recover all again. Yea, more, they have the advantage of un­dergoing things patiently and quietly; when the Lord makes them poor, they make many rich; when corrected, yet not killed, always bearing about them the dying of the Lord Jesus: Sick and yet quiet, poor and yet quiet, prosecu­ted and buffetted, yet quiet: In a word, they have that interest above, and In­fluence from above, that they can set themselves against the world, and do more by Faith and Prayer, than others can do by Wit and Policy; for they can lead captivity captive, and by their spi­ritual strength tread down strength: I mean in a spiritual sense; for Christians [Page 39]should be peaceable subjects to their King, and peaceable neighbours with their neighbours; but to war against spiritual Enemies, here they can say, 1 Cor. 15. Thanks be to God who giveth us the Victory. I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, saith the Apostle Paul; a great Victory, whether you understand it as some do, of savage beastly men, or lit­terally, as others; they say he was con­demned by the sentence of the Hea­then, to be committed to the wild Beasts to be devoured by them, unless he were able to rescue himself, which he did; he lived and acted by the Faith of the Son of God, who loved him; and gave himself for him, so that he had Victory over the World, and could say, O my worldly Enemies, where is your Venom, your Gall? where is now your Enmity, your Vi­ctory? To conclude, Believers have many excellent promises to encourage them to fight and overcome: Seven in this and the next Chapter, of which the Text is the first: O let us fear lest we should so much as seem to fall short [Page 40]of them: Heb. 4.1. meditate much up­on this in the Text; 'Tis sweet in the very reading of it: How pleasant will it then be in its accomplishment? I end with that Parallel Scripture, Rev. 22.14. Blessed are they that do his Command­ments, that they may have right to the Tree of Life, and may enter in through the Gates into the City.

THESE words are the con­clusion of the Epistle to the Church in Smyrna; and so the eighth verse of this Chapter sheweth, To the angel of the Church in Smyrna, write, &c. Some say this Church was more faulty then the former; but Christ co­vers and conceals them, lest the sight of her former sins, and the apprehen­sion of her future sufferings, both at once, should too much discourage her: Others think that she was, though the poorest, yet the purest of all the Church­es, [Page 42] I know thy poverty, says Christ to her, but thou art rich, verse 9. poor in temporals, but rich in spiritual; outward poverty joyned with inward purity dis­commends none to Christ. Her name was answerable to her nature, I mean, her new nature. Smyrna signifies a sweet smell, and her Graces were like beaten Spices, very fragrant and odoriferous, they cast a sweet savour even through­out all the Churches. It seems a terri­ble storm of persecution was ready to come down upon them, wherein some of them might be called to resist not un­to bonds only and imprisonment, but even unto blood and Martyrdom; for he tells them, The Devil, (that is, wick­ed men who are the Devils Bayliffs and Agents) shall cast some of them into Prison; and then bids them be faithful unto death, verse. 10. which implies that it might reach even to life it self. To encourage them to faithfulness in all, he gives this sweet promise in the Text, as if he had said, get Victory here; and if it comes to the worst men can do, which is to kill the body, I give you my faithful [Page 43]word, they shall do no more, they shall go no further, I will secure you from that which is a thousand times more to be feared, viz. the second death, which is the sting and emphasis of the first; that shall not touch, or hurt you. So then the observation lies plain before us, viz,

Doct. That Overcomers shall not be hurt of the second Death, Sin, Satan, and the World are the Enemies; true Believers are the Overcomers, as was declared in the former Sermon: To these is this promise made: hence it is said, They shall never perish, John 10.27. And he that be­lieveth on the Son shall not see Death, John 8.51. viz. the second Death: for as to bodily death, the Psalmist saith, What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? Psal. 89.48. We shall now en­quire,

• 1. What is meant by the second death.
• 2. What is the great hurt there­of.
• 3. Why Overcomers shall not be hurt by it.

Quest. 1. What is the second death?

Answ. Death sometimes signifies great afflictions and distresses: Intreat the Lord [Page 44]your God, says Pharaoh to Moses and Aa­ron, that he may take away from me this death only, Exod. 10.17. that is, the judgment of the Locusts then upon him; for being such Locusts as never was be­fore, nor should be after, they might be a deadly annoyance to them, as well as devour the fruits of the Earth. So St. Paul speaks of Gods delivering him from a great death, 2 Cor. 1.10. mean­ing an imminent danger, which he calls a death, because it was past means, help, and hope of delivery. Such deaths he was in often, 2 Cor. 11.23. which were either such sicknesses and persecutions in which there appeared no hope of esca­ping with life, or such pains as were equivalent to the pangs of death. But more particularly:

1. Death is taken for the dissolution of nature, dissolutio compositi: so some define it, the dissolving the earthly house of this Tabernacle, 2. Cor. 5.1. A Tent or Tabernacle is destroyed, not by consuming of the parts, but by ta­king them asunder: the death of the body is no annihilation, but a dissolu­tion [Page 45]of the parts of which man is com­pounded, a cutting a-sunder the soul and the body: This is the first death, which the Apostle Paul desired, I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, Phil. 1.23. The soul sleeps not when a man dies, for then his wish had been vain; upon his dissolution he could not have been with Christ; but the union between the body and soul is cut a-sunder, and the soul which wilst in the body was absent from the Lord, is then absent from the body, and present with the Lord, 2 Cor. 5.8. This is that death all must pass under, or something equivalent to it; It is appoint­ed for all men once to dye, Heb. 9.27. Statutum est, It is enacted in the Court of Heaven by a Statute-Law, more sure than the Laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be altered: A sentence gone forth out of the mouth of God concerning all men, never to be rever­sed: Death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned, Rom. 5.12.

2. Death is taken for Hell and de­struction; even the wrath of God inflict­ed upon them that are finally overcome [Page 46]by the enemies of their Souls. Death and hell were cast into the lake of fire; this is the second death, says the Apostle John, Rev. 20.14. Men dead and buried be­fore, were now sent body and soul to Hell, Rev. 21.8.

Qu. 2. Wherein lies the great evil and hurt of the second death?

Answ. It is altogether unexpressible and inconceivable: Who knows the power of thine anger, says David? Psal. 90.11. Let none be offended or affrighted at the opening of it; A Sermon of Hell, if rightly emproved, may keep us from Hell. The hurt and evil of the second death lies in Two things:

• 1. There is, paena damni, the punish­ment of loss; This is great and grievous, for they who fall under it, lose all good at once; they lose Heaven that holy ha­bitation, that, sedes beatorum, the man­sion and dwelling-place of all that are blessed. When Tully was banished from Italy, and Demosthenes from Athens, they were so troubled, that as oft as they look­ed towards those places they wept. What is Italy and Athens, and a thousand such [Page 47]places more, if compared with Heaven? Though here unsound Professors may have room in Gods sanctuary, yet there will be no place for them in his Palace hereafter: To be excluded hence, will trouble and perplex them. They lose the best dainties, there seems to be eating and drinking in Heaven; Christ will gird himself, and make his Servants sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them, Luke 12.37. They shall have flagons of Wine to comfort them, and Christ will say to them, eat O Friends, and drink abundantly, O beloved. I take it spiritually in a far better way than can be here. O the misery of them that shall never taste of the Supper of the Lamb, of these refreshments in Heaven! Poor men grieve when they are sent a­way empty from a rich mans Table, much more sorrowful will they be who shall never eat of Christ's dainties. In this also they lose the best inheritance: Ahab was sick with grief when he could not enjoy Naboths inheritance, as we read, 1 Kings 21. It will make them head-sick and heart-sick also, who shall [Page 48]be deprived of that incorruptible, unde­filed, and never-fading inheritance reser­ved in Heaven for Overcomers; for the Promise is, He that overcometh shall in­herit all things, Rev. 21.7. Yea, they lose the best company; the society of Angels and Saints: Here they despise their company, then they would be glad of it, but shall not have it. How desi­rous was the rich man that Lazarus might be sent to him? Luke 16. On Earth he despised him, and in Hell de­sired his company, but it could not be granted him; a great gulph being fixed between them, which would not per­mit it: And which is yet worse, they lose the company of God and Christ. When Orpah was to part with Naomi her Mother-in-Law, she lifted up her voice and wept, Ruth 1.14. O how will they who shall be separated from God, drench and even drown themselves in tears! His gracious presence is the chief good of his creatures; yet this is the first word of that dreadful sentence Christ at last pronounceth, Depart from me, Mat. 25.41. To go from him who hath the [Page 49]words of Eternal Life, is the most bitter part of the second Death. If Cain, when banished from the Society of Saints where God was worshipped, cried out, My punishment is greater than I can bear, for from thy face shall I be hid; surely then to lose the glorious presence of God, of the only true God, is more than to lose a thousand worlds, if there were so many. We read that Absolom could take no Comfort in all he enjoyed, be­cause he could not see the King's face, 2 Sam. 14. Laban made great search af­ter his foolish Idols, when they were stollen from him; Gen. 31.33. And Micah lamented for the loss of his false gods; Ye have taken away my gods which I made; and what have I more? And yet you ask me, what aileth thee? Judg. 18.24. How sad and fearful will the loss of the King of Kings, of the only true and living God be? Here men can live cheerfully, if they have outward good things, though strangers to the Life of God; yet when they come to see what they have lost, they will find it the most bitter ingredient in their cup of misery.
• [Page 50]2 There is paena sensus, the punish­ment of sense; for having lost the chief good, an inundation of all mischiefs and miseries will necessarily follow, and ine­vitably fall upon them: particularly,

1. Shame and confusion of face will cover them: They will rise to shame and contempt. Here men sin and have a whores forehead, they cannot blush; The unjust knoweth no shame, Zephan. 3.5. but then the shame of their nakedness will appear before all the World. The thief is ashamed when he is found, Jer. 2.26. Especially, if he be taken in his wickedness before judges and great ones; Oh! how confounded and abashed will sinners be, when all the secret evils of their Heart and Life shall be laid open and discovered before Christ, his Angels and Saints: Whither will they cause their shame to go? Here they glory in sin which is their shame, but then they will be ashamed of this their glorying, and would be glad if the Hills would hide them, and the Mountains cover them.

2. Sorrow and Mourning will fill them: There, saies Christ, shall be weep­ing, [Page 51]and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, Mat. 8.12. Where? you will say, even in Hell: We read of Rachel mourning for her children, and would not be com­forted, Jer. 31.15. Of Jacob's great sorrow for the supposed loss of his be­loved Son Joseph, Gen. 37. I will go down to the grave to my Son mourning; thus his father wept for him. Of the great mourning of Hadramimmon, in the Valley of Megiddon, where Josiah was slain, and all Judah and Jerusalem mour­ned for him, 2 King. 23. But what are all these to the hideous cries and shrieks, yellings and roarings of them that lye under the wrath of God? 'Tis said, God will cast upon them the fury of his wrath, and not spare, Job 20.23. and 27.22.

No man values a blow, if a Child strike; but if a man, a giant strikes, it is not easily born; if an Angel smites, it is yet more grievous: but if God cast upon him his wrath immediately, it goes to the bottom, it pierces deep in­to the very Soul; It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, and to have the living God fall upon us: [Page 52]Can our heart endure, or our hands be made strong in the day that he shall deal with us? His frowns are able to sink us; What unspeakable Sorrow will his blows cast upon us, fill us with? we know not how to bear his hand upon us here, if it be in extremity, though but upon one part, What in­finite sorrow then will it cause to have him cast his fury upon the whole man, upon all the Members of the Body, and all the faculties of the Soul at once, and not spare? A drop of his displea­sure upon Heman, upon David, made them cry out bitterly; what will a Sea, an Ocean of wrath then do? O the floods and seas of Tears that miserable creatures will then pour forth!

3. The Curse of God shall rest upon them: So it follows in that direful Sen­tence, Mat. 25.41. Depart from me ye Cursed: If they might go from his pre­sence with Blessing, it would be some comfort; but to depart from him with a Curse, how very dreadful are the thoughts of it? Yet thus it will be: Solomon saies, The curse causeless shall not [Page 53]come, Prov. 26.2. When Balaam would have cursed Israel, it came not, but was by God turned into a blessing; because Balaam attempted this without just cause, Numb. 23.22, 23. God requited David good for Shimei's cursing him; but God never curseth without a cause, and it is therefore effectual, and sad are the effects thereof. When Adam sin­ned, saies God, Cursed is the ground for thy sake; Gen. 3. The whole Creation groans under that curse unto this day, Rom. 8.22. The Disciples marvelled at the sudden withering of the Figtree Christ cursed, Mat. 21.19.20. When Elisha cursed the mocking Children in the Name of the Lord, there came two Bears and tore two and forty of them, 2 King. 2.24. Oh how insupportable will the Curse of the infinite God be, that shall lie upon them in Hell!

4. Darkness will annoy and trouble them: Ordinarily in the greatest Dark­ness God commandeth some Light; Ʋnto the upright there ariseth Light in the darkness, Psal. 112.4. The Lord will light my candle, the Lord my God will en­lighten [Page 54]my darkness, saith David, Psal. 18.28. But Hell is called the black­ness of Darkness; yea, outer darkness, Mat. 25.30. meaning a state most re­mote from Heaven, the Kingdom of Light and Blessedness: We read of the Egyptians, that God caused a dreadful Darkness upon them, such as might be felt, Exod. 10.21, 22, 23. Not only was the Light of the Celestial Bodies withdrawn, but such gross foggy Va­pours did arise, as some think, that might put out their Candles or other Lights; so that they sate still in their places for three days, being under the Arrest of that Darkness; so that they knew not whether to go, nor what to do: But the Darkness of Hell will be much more afflictive and affrighting. Some are afraid of the natural Darkness of the Night, but how dismal will those chains of Darkness be, wherewith they who loved the darkness of sin here, shall be bound in the Prison of Hell hereafter, where they shall have Dark­ness enough?

5. The worm will gnaw upon them: [Page 55]Of this Christ speaks, Mark 9.44, 46, 48. Their Worm, that are in Hell-fire, of them he speaks, v. 47. every one there hath his own Worm; not Literally, but Metaphorically to be taken, of some­thing that holds resemblance to it. A Worm in Scripture is put to resemble two things;

• 1. Something that is con­temptible, Fear not thou worm Jacob: And
• 2. something that is tormenting and vexatious, and so it is taken here:

It is dreadful to Nature to have a Worm breed out of a man, and feed upon him; thus it is with the Body in the Grave, the Worms shall feed upon it, Job 24.20. But to have them breed in a man, and feed upon him alive, is more terrible. I have read of a Tyrant who devised that Torment, to keep a living man in his Coffin, and feed him till by his own filth he bred Worms, and those Worms fed upon him, till he died by them. A sad Judgment it was fell upon Herod, to be eaten up of Worms, Acts 12.23. But what is it then to have a worm gnaw upon the Soul? This is that Christ speaks of; [Page 56]This is nothing but the tormenting acts of Conscience, termed a Worm;

• 1. Because as a Worm is bred out of the Putrefaction of the subject in which it is, so is this; there is much filth of sin in the Conscience, by which the Mind and Conscience is defiled, Titus, 1.15. inwardly full of rottenness and all un­cleanness, as the Pharisees were, Mat. 23. and this may easily breed Worms.
• 2. Be­cause as Worms gnaw upon a man, so will a man's Conscience gnaw upon him, when he shall think what offers of Grade and Salvation he had, and ne­glected them; what Motions of the Spirit in the Word and under the Rod he had, and quenched and resisted all, and would suffer nothing to prevail; how near he came to the Kingdom, and yet fell short and is shut out: Thus will the Worm of Conscience gnaw upon men, to their unexpressible Grief and Vexation.

6. The Fire will burn and torment them: I am tormented in this flame, saies one in Hell, Luke 16.23, 24. The horror of Hell is set out by Fire, a Lake [Page 57]of Fire; Fire and Brimstone, and a burning Tempest, Psal. 11.6. Whether material Fire or not, is not material; but such as will torment Soul and Body beyond the hottest fire that men can make; for the breath of the Lord, as a River of Brim­stone, will kindle it. The fire of Ne­buchadnezzar's, furnace was terrible, being seven times hotter than ordinary, Dan. 3. The Fire God rained from Heaven up­on Sodom and Gomorrah was very grie­vous, Gen. 19. The Fire that burnt down the chief City of this Nation, in 1666, was fierce and furious; the Fire that will burn down the World at the last Day, will be more dreadful yet: but the Fire of Hell will be more terrible than all the rest.

7. Despair will greatly afflict them: they will be there without hope of e­scaping from under all the former evils. To be in a Valley of Achor, and see no door of Hope; to be in a stormy Sea, and have no Anchor of Hope to stay upon, must needs make a mans case desperate: In Hell all Hope is cut off, which makes the heart to break: Eve­ry [Page 58]man on this side Hell is a man of Hope; To him that is joyned to all the living there is Hope, Eccles. 9.4. But in Hell there is no out-let of Hope; the Hypocrites Hope perisheth, Job 8.14. This will wound more cruelly than the Devil can do. Hope deferred makes the heart sick; but Hope utterly de­stroyed will make the heart break. In Hell the Hypocrites Hope shall perish, and the Cobweb Hopes of wicked men will be swept down, and be as the gi­ving up of the Ghost: Here if men be in great Afflictions, and under the guilt of great Transgressions, there is upon their putting their mouths in the dust, Hope in Israel concerning these matters; but there is no Hope that Sin will be pardoned or Miseries be re­moved. Spes alit Agricolas. The Hus­bandman plows in Hope, and soweth in Hope: Here men pray in hope, and hear and weep in Hope; but in Hell their Cries and Tears are hopeless, Seas of Tears will not quench one spark of the fire, and this Despair links and tor­ments them beyond expression.

8. The place in which they suffer these things, will yet aggravate their Misery; 'Tis called a Pit, a Pit without water, a bottomless Pit, Rev. 9.1. Jo­seph's Pit, Jeremie's Dungeon, Paul's Prison, and Bonner's Cole-house were pleasant and delightful places, compared with this: The worst place on Earth is infinitely better than the best place in Hell. To live in Bridewel, or in Bedlam, is very grievous; but these are places of Pleasure, when this is spoken of.

9. The company yet encreaseth the vexation: Good-company is a great comfort in trouble and misery; It is such a relief as hath made some even to for­get their sorrow: But here the Devil and his Angels, and all the wicked wretches that ever were on earth, and lived and died such, shall be the compa­ny of hell. Not one good person among them: It will raise the happiness of Hea­ven, that not one wicked person shall be there, not an Hypocrite among them; and it will no less aggravate the Misery of Hell, that none but such are [Page 60]there. It was a grief of mind to Rebecca, to be among the Daughters of Heth, Gen. 27. ult. The filthy company and ways of the Sodomites were a vexation to the Soul of just and righteous Lot, 2 Pet. 2.7, 8. David when forced to dwell in Mesech, cries, Wo is me. How will they lament in Hell, where dam­ned Devils will be their Society, and these Companions their cruel Tormen­tors? So they are called, Mat. 18.24. The Devils are great Tormentors of the Bodies and Souls of men. It was the Saying of a good man, I had rather endure all the Torments men can devise, than see the Devil with my bodily eyes: What a miserable case will theirs in Hell be, who shall both see and feel them their cruel Tormentors, who will have no Pity, shew no Mercy, will not spare; but cruciate and afflict as much as they are able?

10. The Eternity of all the former Evils, doth and will aggravate the Mi­sery of them in Hell; they are punished with everlasting destruction from the Presence of the Lord, and shall never [Page 61]see his face with comfort, 2 Thes. 1. They rise to everlasting shame and contempt, Dan. 12.2. Their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched, Mark 9. called Ever­lasting Fire, everlasting Burnings, the vengeance of eternal fire, Mat. 25. Esay 33. Jude 7. The blackness of darkness for ever, Jude 7. All this is without mitigation, intermission, or cessation. O! who can bear it? If they in Hell might have ease but one hour in a thousand years, it were some comfort; but there the smoak of their Torment ascendeth up for ever and ever, and they have no rest night nor day. If after Ten thou­sand years a man might be taken up out of Torments, the hopes of that would support; but there they must lye in the scorching flames of God's Wrath for e­ver: O, who can endure unquenchable Fire! Did we consider what an Eternity of Torment is, to live ever dying, and yet never dye; to be in a Circle of Sor­row that knows no End, in Variety and Extremity of Pains that have no Period; but after a man hath been un­der these Torments as many Ages, as [Page 62]many Millions of Ages, as there have been Moments or Minutes since the Creation, he is as far from coming out, as he was in the first moment he went in; O how inconceivable dread­ful will this be! Now People think Prayers long, and Sermons long, and Sabbaths long; O what a Weari­ness are they to many! But how long will an Eternal Hell be to such? There they will be held down ever, ever, ever, to feel the stroke of infinite pow­er and wrath; and though men will not believe this report, yet their unbelief shall not make God a Liar; for he hath said it, and will surely perform it upon all them that live and dye overcome by the power of Sin, Satan, Antichrist, and the World. O! how glad would wic­ked men and women be, could they blot out the word Eternal out of the Holy Scriptures, but it cannot be! Some think it cannot stand with the justice of God to punish men eternally, for sins com­mitted in time; yet if men did consider what God is, they would never make this objection: If men did consider an [Page 63]infinite God is offended, and justice re­quires that an infinite satisfaction be made; men are finite and cannot receive an infinite punishment in time, there­fore justly suffer to all eternity. Even men account it but a just and righteous thing to lay up those in Prison all their life, or to take away the lives of those for ever from the earth, who steal, or break open Houses, or kill men, and wil­fully murder, though these acts were done in a very little time: And may not God who is infinite, justly inflict infinite torments? The circumstance of the per­son against whom any act is done, much aggravates or lessens the fault, and so the punishment. It's more to strike a Prince than an ordinary man, and deserves a greater punishment: Sin is committed against an infinite Majesty, therefore justly punished to all eternity. Besides, if men should live on earth for ever, they would sin against God for ever, and therefore may justly suffer for ever. Some say thus, Man sins in suo aeterno, and therefore is justly punished in aeterno Dei. There is in every sinner, infinita volun­tas [Page 64]peccandi, a will to sin infinitely; and that he doth not so, is because God cuts the thred of his life, who seeing this dis­position in man, is righteous in his eter­nal destruction. Thus much may suffice to shew wherein the hurt of the second death lies, viz. in a privation of good, in an inundation of all evils, shame, sor­row, the curse, the worm, the fire, dark­ness, despair, the place, the company, and the eternity of all these; This, this is the hurt of the second death.

Quest. 3. Why shall not those that over­come be hurt of the second death?

Answ. Because Christ died for them; not for an example only, but in their room and stead; when they were ene­mies, sinners, Christ died for them, Rom. 5.8, 10. He died not for his own sins, he had no sin inherent in him, he did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth, 1 John 3.5. 1 Pet. 2.22. Mes­siah shall be cut off, but not for himself, says the Prophet, Dan. 9.26. but he was delivered for our offences, Rom. 5. ult. And he died not as a private person, but as a second Adam; the first Adam sinned, [Page 65]not as a private person, but as the head of all mankind, in him all have sinned, Rom. 5.12. So Christ died as the publick representative of all in him, who there­fore are said in the Scriptures to be cruci­fied with him, and dead with him, ver­tually; and this death which he submit­ted to for them was no natural, no ordi­nary death, but the very second Death the Text speaks of, so far as God thought to be sufficient, and as the excellency of his person was capable of; so far as that Divine Justice is satisfied, the Law ful­filled, and all Enemies vanquished in the main, and so broken, as they shall ne­ver recover strength to conquer finally the weakest true Believer. Though he did not despair, nor endure his Sufferings eternally; for being God-man, his Dei­ty made his Sufferings of infinite Value and Vertue, though he was under them but for a time; And 'tis very probable he endured in his Agony in the Garden, and upon the Cross, even the whole of what Believers must else have been un­der for ever: Great was the shame cast upon him; He was a Man of Sorrows, [Page 66]and acquainted with Grief, even from his Cradle to his Cross; from his Birth to his Burial: He was made a Curse for them. God his Father hid his face from him; yea, laid his severe hand of Justice and Wrath upon him: He spa­red not his own Son, but was pleased to bruise him, and put him to grief. O the pains he endured both in his Bo­dy and Soul! His Soul was made an Offering for sin, and he bare our sins in his own Body on the Tree, Esay 57. 1 Pet. 2.24. And this, that all true Be­lievers might not be hurt by the second Death, either in Body or Soul: He un­derwent the Curse, that they might inherit the Blessing; He was wounded for their Transgressions, that they through his Stripes might be healed; He died this Death for them, that they might live through him an Eternal Life. I have read of a Bird, which if it comes near a man, who is troubled with the Yellow Jaundice, it attracts the Disease to it self▪ cures the sick person; but the Bird dies Christ took our Nature and S [...]n upon him, dies for them, that who­soever [Page 67]believeth in him should not pe­rish, but have everlasting Life. Now Christ having by his Blood given full Satisfaction, God the great Creditor will not exact the same Debt twice, of the Surety and of the Debtor too; but they are reckoned to have discharged all in him, to dye in him and rise in him, and so to overcome in him; and therefore cannot, shall not be hurt of the second Death.

Ʋse 1. This Doctrine, well considered and applied, gives strong Consolation to all true Believers; it is a great relief a­gainst the fears of outward Troubles, and of bodily Death, that King of Ter­rours, and Terrour of Kings: Though they may come under the smart of the first, (which yet the Lord can make easie to them) yet they are free from the hurt of the second Death, which is indeed the sting of the first; The sting of Death is Sin: this they overcome in Christ. A Fly makes as great a noise as a Bee, yet we fear it not so much, because it hath no Sting: So here, Death hath lost its Sting as to true Be­lievers, [Page 68]though it may terrific Nature, yet it shall not prove deadly to them. Christ threatens some, that he will kill their Children with Death, Rev. 2.23. Some are killed with Death; all dye, even the good as well as the wicked; but all are not killed with Death, Death proves not deadly to any true Believer.

A good man once said, That he did Aegrotare vitaliter; so all holy men and women do Mori vitaliter: Death lays its hand upon all, but the time cometh when this hand shall be cut off, even at the Resurrection, but no Power farther than to carry to the Grave; and Christ saith, I will ransome them from the power of the Grave, I will redeem them from Death, Hos. 13.14. It can­not deliver them over to wrath, or carry a good man in Chains to the Prison of Hell: This is to be killed with Death. A Believer may say, O Death, where is thy Sting? O Grave, where is thy Victory? Thanks be to God, who giveth us the Victory through Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 15.56, 57. Once past the first Death, you are for ever free from all fear of [Page 69]Death: This Life is on this account miserable, that it is in fear of Death hanging over it every moment: What is your Life, saith St. James, it is a Va­pour that now is, and quickly vanishes away, Jam. 4.13, 14. But after this, no more fear of Death to a true Christian. And to make the Joy of such full, there is a Meiosis in this Text; when it is said they shall not be hurt of the second Death, it implies, that they shall be called to a blessed and immortal Life: Not only not ashamed, but have bold­ness and confidence before Christ at his coming; not only sorrow and sighing will flee away, but everlasting Joy shall be upon their heads; not only free from the Curse, but shall hear a Come ye bles­sed; not only no Despair, but no doub­ting; yea, a perpetual Plerophory and full Assurance of their happy state; not only no Worm of an accusing Consci­ence, but the testimony of an absolving Conscience, which will be a continual Feast; not only no Torments of Hell, but the Pleasures of Heaven; not only no Canaanites in that Land, no Devil, [Page 70]no wicked men, but the Society of holy Angels and Saints, and God's glorious Presence to all Eternity. Why should not all sincere Believers comfort them­selves, and one another, with these things, and that in the worst of times? A Martyr, being offered Life if he would renounce the Truth, answered, Can you give me Eternal Life? And being threat­ned with Death for refusal, he said, You cannot bring me under the second Death, you cannot put me to Eternal Death; You can kill my Body, but that's all you can do. I must fear to offend him, that can destroy Body and Soul in Hell. Better it is, saies he, that I have a little Wormwood in my Mouth a while, than to have my Bowels filled with it for ever. Oh! how would the Improvement of this Text and Truth support and comfort a Chri­stian, in the saddest conditions he may be called to pass through in this world.

Ʋse. 2. Is it thus, that Overcomers shall not be hurt of the second Death? Then let us all make out for true Faith in Jesus Christ; for this is the Victory whereby we overcome the World, and [Page 71]all that is in the World, even our Faith, 1 John 5.4. This is the first Resurrection, which whosoever hath a part in is bles­sed; If you ask wherein are such bles­sed? The Text tells you, Rev. 20.6. On such the second death hath no power. Some understand this of Romish Idolatries and Superstitions, for it is said, If any man worship the Beast and his Image, and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his in­dignation, and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And they have no rest night nor day who worship the Beast and his Image, and whosoever recei­veth the mark of his name: which im­plies, say they, that those who live and dye under the dominion of those Anti­christian abominations in Doctrine, Wor­ship, and Practice, and rise not by true Faith in Christ, and Repentance towards God, will fall under the power of the se­cond death. 'Tis said, every living soul [Page 72]died in the Sea; for it became as the Blood of a dead man, when the Vial was poured out upon it, Revel. 16.3. Whence some have concluded, that those under the Romish Jurisdiction, who live and dye under the full Dominion and Practice of their Idolatrous wicked Do­ctrines and Worship, cannot be saved. But others take this first Resurrection, to be meant of a Spiritual quickning to a Divine Life, the Dead hear the Voice of the Son of God in the Gospel, and live; this is when Faith is first wrought, which is the beginning of the Soul's life and strength, the first born of graces, the bond of Union between Christ and Believers, and so brings all the strength and Grace of Christ into their hearts, for Christ and all his Fulness dwelleth there by Faith, and by that is derived to the Soul, to enable it to overcome all its Enemies: Where this is not wrought, Sin and Satan do conquer and utterly destroy the Soul. If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall dye in your sins, saies Christ to the Jews, Joh. 8.21, 24. Should any one come and tell us, [Page 73]You shall die in a Ditch, or in a Goal, it would sound harshly in our ears; but for Christ to say, Ye shall dye in your sins, is yet more dreadful: For a man may die in a Ditch, or in a Prison, and yet go to Heaven; but if any one die un­der the full power of Sin and Satan, a dead Dog is better than he; it had been good for that man he had never been born, for he drops presently into Hell, and the Second Death hath an irreco­verable Power over him; he can never get from under it, because all his Sins will be laid upon him. If a Debtor be Arrested and cast into Prison, no sooner do his Creditors understand it, but they come and bring in their several Actions, that a man must lye there all his days. Thus if the first Death Arrest us, and we under the full Dominion of sin, Satan comes in, Conscience comes in, the Law comes in; yea, God himself comes in, all come in and lay Action upon Action against us, and there we must lye, till the last Mite be paid: which because we can never do, we must lye there to all Eternity. We live in very [Page 74]dying Times, and none can tell how soon the thred of his Life may be cut; If we look not diligently to it, we shall dye in our sins, and so be undone for ever. O let us look and get true Faith, for it is he that believes that overcomes, and he that overcomes shall not be hurt of the Second Death.

WE have here another of those excellent Pro­mises made to Over­comers: It is the con­cluding words of that Epistle to the Church in Pergamos, as in the 12th Verse is evident. Some say this was a great City, distant from Jerusa­lem [Page 76]Two hundred and twenty eight miles, very populous, but very wic­ked: Hence we read, Satan's seat was there. A King ruleth over all his Sub­jects, yet he hath his Throne in some chief City of the Land. Satan that King of the bottomless Pit, as he is stiled, Rev. 9.1. reigns over all wicked men; yet in those notoriously wicked, he may be said to have his seat. This was, say some, the Seat or Court of Attalus, in whose time it was written, Discedat ab Aula, qui velit esse plus: Like that to the Prophet, Flee thee away, O thou Seer, for it is the King's Court, Amos 7.13. Afterwards it was the Seat of the Ro­man persecuting Governours, (who were Satan's chief Instruments, in afflicting and destroying the Saints) and so is called Satan's seat. Christ takes special notice of the places of his peoples abode, I know where thou dwellest, even where Satans Seat is: He observes how peril­lous a place this Pergamos was, and what dangers as to Liberty and Life his Ser­vants were in here. Antipas had already suffered Martyrdom for the Truth, (the [Page 77]name of some good Minister, or of the Pastor of that Church, as many judge) an Honour not granted to the Angels of Heaven, as Latimer saith; yet we find a Church planted and preserved here, who held fast his Name, [...], as with tooth and nail, or by main strength. Christ will have to do where Satan reigns; some good he will have in the worst places; a remnant of up­right ones in a crooked and perverse Ge­neration. As Satan had a Judas among the Apostles, a Demas among the Disci­ples, a Simon Magus among the Belie­vers; so the Lord had a Noah in the un­godly world, a Job in an Idolatrous Ʋz, a Lot in filthy Sodom, a Joseph in Pha­raoh's Court, Saints in Nero's house, and some that held fast the Truth even in Pergamos itself; those he reserves to be Witnesses for him, and to testifie against those to their Condemnation, who will not by their good Example be brought to Conversion. Let us all labour to be good in evil Times, it's excellent in it­self, and will be our commendation be­fore Christ at last, as appears by his [Page 78]Testimony of them here; Thee have I found righteous before me, saies the Lord to Noah, in this Generation, Gen. 7.1. What kind of Generation that was, is set down; It was a time when Iniqui­ty abounded, all flesh had corrupted their way, a deluge of wickedness had covered the Earth; for Noah now to be righteous, was excellent indeed: And it will be our glory, if we study to be Lights in a dark World, holy among the filthy, Lilies among Thorns, and as the Fish, fresh in Salt-waters. This may comfort us also in very evil Times, Christ will preserve some from the stroak of Persecution; Antipas was slain, yet some did remain; some, yea many may suffer hard things, yea 'tis possible some particular Churches may be ex­tirpated, yet a Church Christ will have on Earth, against which the Gates of Hell, Satan's Seat shall not prevail. Many Faithful ones may be removed by a natural or violent Death, yet be­cause Christ lives, therefore his Truth shall live, his Cause and Interest shall live, and survive all Enemies and Op­posers. [Page 79]Let this help our Faith and Joy, though we dwell where Satan's seat is. Rome Antichristian is now esteemed that Seat of the Beast, mentioned, Rev. 16.10. yet even there God hath his People, Come out of her my People, saies the Lord, Rev. 18.4. A People Christ had, and still hath, where Antichrist most prevails, though it greatly con­cerns them to come out thence, dan­gerous to continue there, both for In­fection of Sin, and for Infliction of Pu­nishment, as this Scripture expresseth, Come out, that ye partake not of her Sins, and receive not of her Plagues.

Pliny saith, That Mice will hasten out of a house that is ready to fall on their heads; And Spiders with their Webs will drop, before the house falls. Certainly, Antichrist's ruine hastens, and Babylons Fall approacheth, Come out of her therefore. O all the People of God, Come out from her Idolatries, be ye separate from all her Abomina­tions and Corruptions. And to encou­rage all to strive to get Victory over the Evil of Evil Times, this further [Page 80]Promise in the Text is given to them of Pergamos, and to us in them; the sum whereof take in this Proposition.

Doct. That Overcomers shall have such special and peculiar Favours given them by Christ, as none know but they that re­ceive them. There are some things in which the men of the world intercom­mon with the Saints; as, Natural En­dowments, Worldly Enjoyments, Ex­ternal Church-Priviledges, the common Gifts of the Spirit, and superficial Tastes of Heavenly things; Absalom had Beau­ty as well as, yea, greater than David; Herod and Jonadab had Wit and Policy as well as Joseph; the Fool in the Go­spel, was rich as well as Abraham; the foolish Virgins were in Church-Fellow­ship, as well as the wise; Apostates, such as are not renewed to Repentance, may taste the good Word of God, and the Powers of the World to come, as well as those who had better things in them, even things that accompany, [...], that have Salva­tion in them: Saul had the Gift of Pro­phecy, Judas Gifts of Preaching, Pray­er, [Page 81]and working Miracles, as well as the other Apostles; yet notwithstand­ing all this, there are peculiar benefits Believers share in, which others have no part, no lot in: The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will shew them his Covenant, Psal. 25.14. Not here meant of his providence, bles­sing him in outward things; of this Job speaks, saying, The Secret of God was upon his Tabernacle, Job 29.4. But the understanding of the mysteries of his Word and Covenant (hid from the wise and prudent of the World) and their own interest in them.

Believers are the friends of God; as Abraham was called the friend of God, James 2. So Christ called his Disciples friends; now the secret Cabinet is un­lockt and set open to a friend, though shut to strangers. Amicus alter idem: A friend is another self; and a man can­not conceal any thing from himself, and therefore not from his friend. Whatso­ever Christ heard of his Father he made known to his friends, John 15.15. His secret is with the righteous, Prov. 3.32. [Page 82]the very Arcana Imperii, the mysteries of the Kingdom are made plain to them, Luke 8.10. It is a favour to be of the Kings Court, but more to be of his Coun­cil; Courtiers know more than those that live far remote from the Kings Court; but Counsellors know his se­crets, the Privy-Counsellor is acquainted with the special mysteries of State. Car­nal professors and hypocrites may know many truths, which Heathens who live not under the sound of the Gospel may be ignorant of, and in an ordinary way cannot know; yet are they but of the Court; Believers only are of the Coun­sel, to whom the mysteries of grace and godliness are disclosed. It is said, the Lord told Samuel in his ear, 1 Sam. 9.15. When a man tells his friend a secret he would not have others know, he whi­spers in his ear; so the Lord deals with his People, he reveals those secrets to them which every one shall not know; which indeed eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath entred into the hearts of other men: These God reveals to Believers by his spirit, 1 Cor. 2.9, 10. On [Page 83]this account is the Church stiled by Christ a Garden enclosed, Cant. 4.12. Not on­ly are Believers, as to their persons, so en­closed that they cannot fall away and miss of salvation, nor are the graces of such only so enclosed that they perish not; but they are also enclosed in their mystical enjoyments, that none partake of them but themselves; To which agreeth that Prov. 14.10. The heart knoweth its own bitterness, and a stranger doth not inter­meddle with his joy. Believers have bit­ter and sweet, listings up and castings down, sorrows and joys peculiar to them­selves alone.

Quest. You will say, What are those special favours Christ gives those that over­come, which others cannot receive?

Answ. There are many of these pe­culiar tokens of special love he doth be­stow upon them that by faith get Victo­ry over their spiritual Enemies as true Believers do: we read that Abraham gave the sons of the Concubines por­tions and sent them away, but to Isaac he gave all that he had, Gen. 25, 5, 6. God gives portions in this Life even to [Page 84]all, to the worst of men; but some things Believers have, others share not in; They have the Lord for their God, in a peculiar covenant-relation: 'tis said, he is not ashamed to be called their God, Heb. 11.16. others have none of the life of God given them, none of the fulness of God, none of the peculiar knowledge of God, no special interest in the attributes of God, none of the sa­ving influential goodness of God; all which the Saints receive. Yea, they partake of Christ, they have received Christ Jesus the Lord, Colos. 2.16. others are without Christ, no right to the Co­venant, no interest in the Promises; no reconciliation, no righteousness, no ac­ceptance, no salvation, for these bene­fits are derived to men by Faith in Christ; I might adde, Believers on­ly are partakers of the spirit of God; I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, saith Christ, even the Spirit of Truth, whom the world can­not receive, John 14.16, 17. And he is to them a Spirit of Light and Wisdom, a Spirit of Power and Love, and of a [Page 85]sound mind, a spirit of Grace and Holi­ness, a spirit of Love and joy, none of which things others partake of. But I wave those, and confine my discourse to those in the Text.

1. Hidden Manna; To him that over­cometh, will I give to eat of the hidden Manna, that is, of Christ himself; whom, though none of the Princes of this World knew, yet God reveals this hid­den Manna to his hidden ones by his Spirit. It is an allusion to the Manna God gave Israel the Wilderness, which was a famous and excellent type of Christ; as he himself largely declares, John 6. Moses gave you not that Bread from Heaven, but my Father giveth you the true Bread from Haven. For this, pointing to himself, is the Bread of God which cometh down from Heaven, and giveth life unto the World. verse 32.33. and so, verse 48. I am that Bread of Life. Again, vers. 56. This is the Bread which cometh down from Heaven, whereof if a man eats he shall not dye. This Man­na, God gave the Jews, was twice hidden;

• 1. It fell in the dew of the Morning [Page 86]and so was hidden from their sight; for it is said, when the Dew was gone up, they saw a little round thing, and when they saw it, they said, it is Manna, Ex. 16.14, 15, 33.
• And 2. It was hidden when some part of it was by Gods appoint­ment put into a golden pot, and preser­ved as a memorial of that wonderful Work to future Generations; unto this latter many take the Text to allude. The sense of this Promise take in two things.
  • 1. That Christ will give Over­comers to feed and feast upon himself, sweet tastes of himself here in Dunes and Ordinances; Even in these they shall be able to say as Christ did, I have meat to eat you know not of, Joh. 4.32, we have hidden Manna given us the World can­not taste of. Of this they eat some­times in Prayer; when Hannah had prayed, she was so strengthened by this Manna, that 'tis said, her countenance was no more sad, 1 Sam. 1.18. An ancient once speaking of what he met with of Christ in this Ordinance, said, nunquam abs te abs (que) te recedo: Lord, I never go from thee without thee: very sweet are [Page 87]the Refreshments victorious souls meet with in this Duty; so in hearing the word, they meet with more than a voice of words, even Angels food, the hungry soul is filled, they eat the word as Jeremiah saith he did, and find their weak hands strengthened, their feeble knees confirmed, their fainting hearts comforted, their doubts resolved, and their minds settled. Whilst Peter was preaching the word, the Holy-Ghost fell upon all the hearers, Acts 10.44. Especially, in that great Ordinance of the Lords Supper, Believers feed not only upon Sacramental Bread, but hid­den Manna also; Here they eat his Flesh, which is meat indeed, and drink his Blood, which is drink indeed, and sup with Christ and he with them; Here they have a feast of fat things, and wine on the lees well refined; they are satisfied, as with marrow and fatness, and taste his love which is better than wine; fat things both sweet and filling, yet not cloying as other fat things are. My soul is satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy Temple, says Da­vid, [Page 88]Psal. 65.4. We read that the Israe­lites nauseated the Manna, We have no­thing besides this Manna, Numb. 11. who shall give us flesh to eat? The excellent Bread God gave them, was now but light Bread, and they loathed it, and grew weary of it, but the spiritual re­freshments Believers sometimes are par­takers of, have a present delight in them, and create an earnest appetite in the soul after them. Such hidden Manna does Christ give them to eat here.
  • 2. This Promise intimates, that they shall feed and feast themselves upon him in Heaven: He is hid and laid up there, as the Manna in the golden pot was laid up in the holiest of all, which was but a shadow of this mystery. This none but themselves can be admitted to share in, for without are the fearful and the unbelievers: Here they eat by Faith, there by sight; here now and then a lit­tle as they are able to bear, there fully and without intermission: Here when the King sits at the table, their spiknard sends forth its savour, their graces and gracious affections slow forth; What will [Page 89]the Sweet-Meats of Heaven, the full and eternal fruition of this Banquet, the everlasting enjoyment of these Dainties produce in them? Blessed is he that shall eat bread, this Bread of Life in the Kingdom of God, both of Grace and Glory. This is not meat that perishes, but meat that endures to everlasting Life, John 6.27. This is the first thing Christ here promises to them that over­come.

2. The white Stone is another of those peculiar Favours; I will give him the white stone. 'Tis judged to be an Allusion to that practice in use of old among the Romans, who gave both white and black Stones; white ones were given in the Election of Officers, and Absolution of Malefactors. 1. In the Election of any to an high Office, they gave him a white Stone, as a cer­tain Token thereof: The sense then of the Promise is, that Conquerors shall have the assurance of their Election to be Vessels of Mercy, that they are cho­sen to Salvation, through Sanctification of the Spirit, and the belief of the [Page 90]Truth, to the end and to the means, to Glory and to Grace; and though the means be the last in intention, yet they are first in execution; their Salvation is first intended, but Faith and Holiness are first effected. Now to have the Assurance that we are chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we be holy before him here, and happy with him hereafter, Who can declare the Refreshment it carries with it? Comfortable it is,

• 1. In respect of De­lusion; They shall deceive, if it were pos­sible, the very Elect, Mat. 24.24. In the superstructure of Truth they may be deceived, but fundamentally and fi­nally they never shall; because both the deceived and the deceiver are the Lords, Job 12.13, 16. Deceivers may distem­per them, but it is not possible they should poison them. The Elect are a people exempted from the fatal Infecti­on of false Prophets, and false Christs who decive many; this is a great Com­fort to such in these erroneous days.
• 2. In respect of Accusation, Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect? [Page 91]Rom. 8.33. Who shall charge when God dischargeth? True it is, many will be ready to lay things to their charge, Satan will accuse them, he is the Accuser of the Brethren, Rev. 12. the Law will accuse them, the World will accuse them; but God will justifie them, which makes all their Accusati­ons null and void; as Christ caused all the Womans Accusers to go out, so will Gods acquitting them, make those Ac­cusers and all their Accusations to va­nish.
• 3. In respect of publick Calami­ties, which are shortned upon their account. For the Elects sake those days shall be shortned, Mat. 24.23. What days? Even the days of Tribulation which were to come upon the Jews; except those days should be shortned, no flesh should be saved, no Jew should be alive, all would fall under destruction when those Calamities come. Many others fare the better for the Elects sake; these are the Salt of the Earth, that being sprinkled here and there, preserve it from perishing. God gave all that were in Zoar to Lot, and all that were in the [Page 92]Ship to Paul; if it were not for his E­lect in the world, he would make a short work in the Earth. And
• 4. In respect of their own personal oppressions; Shall not God hear and avenge his Elect, that cry unto him night and day? I tell you, he will avenge them speedily, Luke 18.7, 8. When their Enemies are above Fear, and they below Hope, when there is not Faith on the Earth to believe, there are Bowels in Heaven to relieve them.
• 5. In respect of his working for them at the Resurrection and Day of Judgment; whereas they will lye scattered here and there, he will gather together his Elect from all parts of the world by his Angels, Mat. 24.31. Who will know them by their Fathers mark upon their Foreheads: And as Servants know their Masters Corn from anothers, and the Wheat form the Tares; so will the An­gels soon discern and single out the Elect from the rest, by the Glory and Cheer­fulness which he will put upon them, and into them.
• 6. In respect of the co-operation of all things here for their good, according to that Promise, All [Page 93]things shall work together for good to them that are called according to his purpose, Rom. 8.28. They say the Philosophers-Stone turns all it touches into Gold; This white Stone, as a Token of our Election according to God's Eternal pur­pose, turns all Conditions and Dispensa­tions to good. How unspeakably full of Comfort are these things to all Over­comers from this Gift of the White Stone, as a Sign of their Election!

2. White Stones were given of old in the Absolution of Malefactors, as black ones were given to persons Condemned, as a Token they must dye; so white ones to them acquitted in their Courts of Judicature. 'Tis as if Christ had said, To him that overcometh will I give an evidence of the Remission of his Sins. And what a Fountain of Consolation is in this particular? Son, be of good chear, thy Sins are forgiven thee, Mat. 9.2. Well might he be cheerful; to have the assurance of our sins being pardoned, is able to make any one everlastingly merry; Yea, though under present af­flictions: This Palsy-man was not cured [Page 94]of his disease, when Christ bid him re­joyce; yet ground enough of joy he had, to be assured from Christ's own mouth that his sins were forgiven him. Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven, and whose sin is covered, Psal. 32.1. for this is an infallible evidence of Gods fa­vour: outward mercies we may receive from an angry God, silver and gold, and precious stones in abundance, and yet from the wrath of God; but this white stone of Absolution is a certain token of Love and Reconciliation. 'Tis not a giving-God for our Bodies that can give grounds of Comfort so much, as a for­giving-God for our Souls can do. This evidenceth our Redemption by Christ, In him we have Redemption through his Blood, the Forgiveness of Sin: This bringeth Salvation. John Baptist's go­ing before the face of the Lord was, To give knowledg of Salvation to his Peo­ple, by the remission of their Sins, Ephes. 1.7. Luke 1.77. Reconciliation stands in it; God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their sins, 2 Cor. 5.19. In a word, it is the inlet [Page 95]to, and ushers in all other Good and Mercy; Take away all Iniquity, and take up good, or give us good, as it is, Hos. 14.2. They must pray for good, O but your Sins keep good things from you, Jer. 5.25. Therefore first their request is, Take away all Iniquity: No good to be given, till sin be forgiven; but when that is removed that withholds good from them, then the passage is cleared, and way is made for all good to come unto them: It makes way for the Liberty and Deliverance of the Church from Troubles, Speak comfortably to Jerusalem, tell her that her Iniquity is pardoned, and her Warfare is accomplished: When Sin was pardoned, her Afflictions and Trou­bles soon had an end: It brings health to a whole Land. The Inhabitant of the Land shall not say, I am sick; the Land shall be free from infectious, pesti­lential and Epidemical Diseases. How comes this about? The People that dwell therein shall be forgiven their Iniquity, E­say 33.24. Oh this is that which sweetens all other Comforts and Con­tentments; as the want of it imbitters [Page 96]all our sweet things: What are we the better for House, Land, Silver and Gold, when our Sin is not pardoned, when the Curse and Wrath of God hangs over our heads, and is ready in this condi­tion to fall upon us, and arrest us every moment, to draw us to Hell for ever? But then Mercies are Mercies indeed, when they come to us in the stream of Christ's Blood, with a Pardon in their hand. Hence Believers are taught to pray, Give us this day our dayly Bread, and forgive us our sins; to shew, that our Bread is sweet, when it comes with pardoning Mercy. God had given Da­vid the healing his Diseases, and crow­ned him with loving Kindness and ten­der Mercies. What made it so, but for­giving Mercy? First he sets down that, Who forgiveth all thine Iniquities; then follow the other Mercies, Psal. 103.2, 3, 4. Pardoning Mercy is Crowning Mercy. Yea, this fits us for holy Duties; Pray­er or Sacraments: as sin unpardoned makes God hide his face, that he will not hear, or appear to the Soul. It turns Prayer into Sin, and Sacraments into [Page 97]Sin: So if this be taken away, the per­son is accepted, and then all Duties are accepted, and God will be seen in them to the Soul, and give it communion with himself. In a word, this fits us for a Suffering state and time. How will the sense of Pardon, that assures a man he shall never be cast into Hell-fire, make him even willingly embrace and submit to a Fiery Trial for Christ's sake? It prepares for Death, whether natural or violent. All must die, and as a mans Death is, such is his Doom: As Death leaves us, Judgment findes us. Job prayed earnestly for the white Stone of Absolution, as it is an excellent prepa­rative for his Dissolution; And why dost thou not pardon my sin, for now shall I sleep in the dust? Job 7.21. As if he had said, Lord, my great Afflictions seem to hasten on my great change, and therefore now especially I beg the par­don of my sin, and the sense of it unto my Soul, and then I am prepared to sleep in the dust. We should not lye down in our Beds, much less in our Graves, with sin unpardoned: If that [Page 98]be taken away, no matter how soon we dye; Feri Domine, feri, tantum ignosce mihi peccatum, said Luther; Smite me, Lord, smite as thou wilt, though by sharp Afflictions or Death, all is wel­come, if sin be forgiven: This is that the Lord here promiseth to victorious Christians, when he saith, He will give them the white Stone.

3. Anew name written in the Stone, is the third and last of those special Fa­vours promised to Overcomers in the Text. There are some that take it to be an Allusion to that Custome of gi­ving Stones to men, with their Names written on them, as Tickets, shewing them such as should be admitted to those Solemn Feasts, held in honour of those that were Victorious in their sa­cred Games: Then the meaning is, that Christ will give conquering Christians a privy Mark, whereby they may be known and admitted to the Heavenly Banquet of the hidden Manna, as wel­come Guests. And, O! how high a Fa­vour is it to carry the Privy-Seal of Heaven about us? To have a Token [Page 99]that we shall be taken up to the Mar­riage-Supper of the Lamb, when others shall not taste of those Dainties? But most take the new Name here to be Filius Dei, an Adopted Son of God, and make it an Allusion to that of Isai­ah, 65.15. God shall call his Servants by another Name. A name better than the name of Sons and Daughters: For by this they are Called and Translated out of the old family of Sin and Satan, to be of the Family of God, of the hous­hold of Faith; a Priviledge far excel­ling the civil Adoption in use among men; for he takes many Sons and brings them to Glory, a man but one: And when he hath done that, he cannot communicate his own Likeness to him. But God with the new Name gives a new Nature; with the Spiritual Adopti­on conveys a Principle of the Divine Nature, 2. Pet. 1.4. If a man adopts, it is either because he hath no Son of his own, or else because his Son is pro­digal and disobedient; but God had a Son from all Eternity, one who never displeased or disobliged him in thought, [Page 100]word, or deed: So that this new Name giving is an act of free and rich Grace. Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the Sons of God, 1 Joh. 3.1. If men Adopt, it is but to some earthly Inheritance; But God gives an Inheri­tance in light, incorruptible, undefiled, that never fadeth away, reserved in Heaven for them, 1 Pet. 1.4. So that all his Children are Heirs, Heirs of God, and Joint-heirs with Christ, Roman. 8.17. Heirs of the Promises, Heb. 6.17. Heirs of the Righteousness which is by Faith, Heb. 11.7. Heirs of Salvation, of the Kingdom of Heaven, Heb. 1. ult. Jam. 2.5. They have a glorious Liberty, called The Liberty of the Sons of God, Rom. 8.21. A Liberty from sins Dominion and Pol­lution, from the Covenant and Curse of the Law, from the Power of Satan, the World, and Death. They have a gracious Access to God their Father, I will arise and go to my Father, saies the Prodigal, Luk. 15. And his pity in all their Troubles: As a Father pities his Children, so the Lord pities them that fear [Page 101]him, Psal. 103.13. They have access with boldness to the Throne of Grace, and have his eye, his ear, his heart and his hand. We read of a Child., who finding himself not well, ran to his Fa­ther, and cried out, My head, my head, 2 King. 4.19. Thus may God's Children go to him, and say, My head, my heart. Oh! this ignorant head, Father, enlighten it; Oh this carnal heart! Fa­ther, spiritualize it; Oh this dead, hard, earthly, divided heart of mine! Father, quicken, soften, make Heavenly, and compose it, unite my heart to fear thy Name: Yea, as a Father spares his obe­dient Son, so the Lord will spare his, As a man spares his own Son that serves him, Malac. 3.17. If he correct them, it is in love and in measure, and he will provide for them here; Your Heavenly Father knoweth you have need of all these things, Matt. 6. Jesus Christ is your Brother, he is not ashamed to call you Brethren, the Angels are your Guard; the King's Son hath the Nobles and Peers of the Realm to wait upon him: The Angels are all Ministring Spirits [Page 102]sent forth for their good: yea, you shall be ever with your Father. The Son a­bides in the house for ever, John 8. as that Father said, Luke 15. Son, thou art ever with me. He that is a Servant to day, may be none to morrow; but if God be a Father, and we his Children by A­doption, this relation abides unchange­ably, he is an everlasting Father, and we his Sons and Daughters for ever. O what an excellent Priviledge is this new Name here promised! To be a Son of God, is an old Name, for Adam was called the son of God; but it was only by Creation: The Angels in that sense are also called the Sons of God; but to which of all the Angels did ever God say, Thou art my Adopted Son? This is the new Name here spoken of, and is the peculiar Priviledg of true Believers. 'Tis storied, That Alexander the Conquerour was by the flattering Oracle saluted as a Son of Jupiter; but the Believer, who overcomes the Devil, Sin, and the World, in a more noble Spiritual way, is by the true Oracle stiled, the Son of God; To as many as received him, to them gave he [Page 103]Power to become the Sons of God, even to them that believe in his Name, Joh. 1.12. The Believer is no longer a mere Son of Adam, but in the instant of his Be­lieving is united to Christ the natural Son of God, and so becomes an Adopted one. And this is not an empty Title, For they are born of God, and are of the Seed-royal of Heaven; yea, this A­doption is, Quaedam Similitudo Filiationis aeterni, as a Learned man expresses it, a Shadow of the Eternal One.

The natural son is the Image of Gods nature, the brightness of his Fathers glory, and the express Image of his person, Heb. 1.2. The adopted Son is the Image of his will, of his own will begat he us by the word of truth, James 1.18. And this puts a lustre upon Believers, beyond what is to be seen upon the Princes and Poten­tates of the earth. All the great swel­ling names thrown upon them by men, is but, fumus seculi, a little smoke which quickly is scattered; but this divine Adoption is, radius coeli, a beam of hea­venly glory, which makes them shine in the eyes of the Angels, and continues [Page 104]an indelible character upon them. You see by these things somewhat of the new name here promised, and is this a little matter in any mans account? When Sauls servants told David of the purposes the King had to give him one of his Daughters to wife, David said, Seemeth it a light thing to any of you to be a Kings Son-in-law, seeing I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed? 1 Sam. 18.23. What may Believers then say as to this Divine Adoption? Shall it be a light matter to be a Son or Daughter of the most high God, the King of Kings? That they who may say to corruption, Thou art my Father, or as 'tis said, Thy Father was an Amorite, and thy Mother a Hittite, Ezek. 16. should re­ceive the spirit of Adoption, crying, Abba, Father, even to God himself? This, This is that new Name which is here promised to all that overcome.

I might here add Reasons of this point; The love of God to them, his chusing-love is the cause of this. The Lord loveth the righteous, Psal. 146.8. Therefore his secret is with the righte­ous, [Page 105]Prov. 3.32. Delilah could not be­lieve Samson's love was so great to her as he pretended; because he told her not that great secret, where his strength lay. It springs also from the purchase of Christ: He bought a peculiar people, and purchased for them peculiar favours: Their common, much more their special Mercies are the price of Blood; and what Christ hath purchased, God will give out unto them: To all which, add his engagement by Promise, as in the Text, And faithful is he that hath promised. The Ʋse follows, and briefly.

Ʋse. 1. See here the great mistake of the men of the world, who are ready to think none outgo them in their Enjoyments; They exceed in out­ward things, and knowing no better, conclude themselves the only Favou­rites of God; And others misera­ble, who want them. This Errour proceeds from Ignorance of; and Inex­perience as to higher things; Every one is satisfied with what he apprehends most suitable, as the Prodigal with his Husks; but having a new Nature, must [Page 106]have new Food, and began to think of the Bread in his Father's house. How much are all in a state of Unbelief to be pitied, who judge good men have no such Priviledges, as to be acquainted with God's Secrets more than them­selves: They measure a good man by themselves, and therefore are ready to say in this case, as Eliphaz did to Job in another, Hast thou heard the Secret of God? What knowest thou that we know not? What understandest thou that is not in us? Is there any secret thing with thee? Job 15.8, 9, 11. Yet Believers do know and understand what worldly men know not, For the Secret of the Lord is with them that fear him. The Secrets of his Counsel are reserved in his own breast; but the Secrets of his Providence are many times revealed to them; Surely, the Lord will do nothing, but he revealeth his Secrets to his Servants the Prophets, A­mos 3.7, And the Lord himself saith of Abraham, Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I will do? Yea, the Se­crets of his Truth are with Believers; for he hath promised his Spirit of Truth [Page 107]shall lead them into all Truth; the Se­crets of his Love and Grace are with them, of which the world knows no­thing, no more than of the Word of God, which the Spirit only can saving­ly discover, which Spirit the world cannot reeeive, Joh. 14.16, 17. As wicked men have Bread which they eat in secret, Prov. 9.17. of which good men desire no knowledg; some secret Lust which is as a sweet Morsel under their Tongue, as to which good men are ready to say with the Patriarch, O my Soul, come not thou into their secret; or with David, Let me not eat of their dainties. So they that are truely good, have Spiritual Comforts peculiar to themselves, which the world knows not of, never tasted of. Oh pity such, and pray, if perhaps any may be delivered from their present delusion.

Ʋse 2. This Truth and Text is full of Comfort to all true Believers, who are victorious in their holy Warfare. Set these Divine Refreshments here promis'd, against all Discomforts and Discourage­ments of spirit. Are you weak and fee­ble [Page 108]by the assaults of the enemy? here is hidden Manna to strengthen and re­vive you: Are you cast down with the fears of Sins Guilt and Gods Wrath? Here is a White-Stone in token of your Election and Absolution; which may also relieve against the black coals of Scandal and Reproach, with which men are ready to dirty and defile you: And if your Names be cast out among men, Christ hath given you a new Name that shall be had in everlasting Remem­brance, when the name of the wicked shall rot. And that your Joy may be yet more full from this Text, consider how much the Mercies promised in it, exceed the things alluded to; The Man­na God rained down to Israel was Mate­rial, this is Spiritual; That came from the Clouds, this from the highest Hea­ven, from the bosome of God the Fa­ther; That was hidden in the Dew and in the Golden Pot, this in the Virgins Womb, and now in the Heavens; that fed the Body, this the Soul; That was apt to breed Worms, and stink, this can see no corruption; That preserved none [Page 109]from Death, Your Fathers did eat Manna in the Wilderness, and are dead, Job. 6.49. But he that eats of this hidden Manna, lives for ever. So of the White Stone; They were material the Romans gave, this is Spiritual; They were inanimate, this is a Living Stone; Those were Tokens of a Temporal Election and Absolution, this of a Spiritual and Eter­nal; Those its probable were given sometimes to vile and wicked persons, this to none but true Believers. So for the new Name, it is a name of Dignity and Honour, excelling the names of the great ones of the Earth. Let Be­lievers labour to drink in the Comfort of these things.

Ʋse 3. If this Doctrine be true, Then let all the Saints from these Promises wax valiant in fight, quit themselves like men; yea, like good Soldiers of Jesus Christ endure the greatest fight of Af­flictions, Heb. 10.32. Put on and handle well your Armour of Righteousness, to repel and repulse Temptations on the right hand and on the left; Set your Watch, and keep it strictly, as Soldiers [Page 110]must do upon Pain of Death. A Sol­dier being asleep when he stood Senti­nel, his Officer ran him through, think­ing it an act of Justice to leeve him as he found him. It's a time of War, and our continual dangers should move us not to sleep as do others; but to watch and be sober: Let Christians keep close to the Standard. 'Tis Death by Mar­tial Law for Soldiers to run away from their Colours; they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed. Follow Christ your Captain in all ways, dirty and clean, in all weathers fair and foul, in all Ordinances, in all Providences. If any man serve me, let him follow me, saies Christ, Joh. 12.26. And strive to make good your ground; yield not to your Spiritual Adversaries. Divines observe there is no armour provided by Christ for the back, to shew, that we must give no ground to our Enemies. A Captain delights not in Renegadoes. If any man draws back, my Soul shall have no pleasure in him, Heb. 10.38. They are the Pro­phets words, say some; but God's, say others; It's true both ways: Neither [Page 111]God nor his People can take plea-pleasure in Apostates. Fight couragi­ously against your Spiritual Enemies; as for your Bodily Enemies, you have ano­ther Rule, Love your Enemies, pray for them that persecute you, Mat. 5. And if your Enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. But as to your Soul Enemies, fight manfully and stoutly against them, give them no Quarter: If you spare them, your Life, your Soul must go for it. It was the Saying of a Captain to his Soldiers, having the Spanish Army be­fore them, and the Sea behind them, Either you must drink up this Sea, or eat up these Spaniards. So it is here, either we must fight and overcome our Sins, or drink up the Sea of God's Wrath. O cease not combating, till all your foes be made your foot-stool. This Church of Pergamos was overcome by the Do­ctrines of Balaam and the Nicolaitans, holding both Adultery and Idolatry lawful, Doctrines pernicious to sound Truth and a holy Life; only some held [Page 112]fast Christ's Name, and did not deny his Faith, Antipas resisted unto Blood; the rest are called upon to strive to overcome these Doctrines, by these sweet Promises in the Text: And hath not the Dragon poured out a flood of Errors amongst us of late? Are not many carried away with divers and strange Doctrines? Do not some go about to null the Eternal Decrees of God? to make void the Satisfaction of Christ? to deny and deride the Imputation of his Righteousness to Believers in the matter of Justification? to maintain the Doctrine of Free-will, and final Apo­stacy from Grace? And doth it not then concern us to keep the word of Christ, as Soldiers must keep the Word their General gives them? so let all Christ's Soldiers keep the word of Precept, the word of Promise, and the word of his Patience, that he may make the same honourable report of you, which he doth of them, Joh. 17.6. And they have kept thy Word. Who knows how soon the same Trials may be upon us, that were upon Antipas [...] [...]ere in his [Page 113]Church? Oh! that we may be found faithful Martyrs as he was. Know, our Call to the battle is clear, our Cause is good, and our Comforts sweet, when we have been slaying our Lusts, con­quering Errors and Temptation from the Devil and the World, Christ will meet us, as Melchizedek met Abraham, when he came from the slaughter of the Kings, bringing forth bread and wine, supports and comforts to our souls. Melchizedek's Bread and wine were to Abraham Pawns and Pledges of Canaan, the Land of Promise; and Christs supports and com­forts shall be to us Earnests of Hea­ven and Glory. See what consolati­ons flow in these promises to the Over­comer; as the Manna of old fell about the Camps of the Israelites, and was preserved in the Golden Pot: so hid­den Manna falls about the Overcomer, and is preserved in his heart. Pardon is the white stone, and Adoption the new name; and all these, though se­crets to others, are well known to him­self: Let all that are listed to fight under Christ's Banner, encourage them­selves, [Page 114]and one another, with these words, To him that overcometh, will I give to eat of the hidden Manna; and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it.

HERE is another of those gra­cious Promises Christ makes to the Overcomers, though directed to the Officers and Members of the Church in Thyatira, yet is written (as the other are) for the com­mon [Page 116]benefit of these seven Churches, and of all others to the end of the World. This Thyatira was a City of Ly­dia, not far from Ephesus, called Thu­gateira, which doth signify a Daughter, as Mr. Brightman observes; for as a Daugh­ter new-born is always growing in age and stature, till she comes to full ripe­ness, so it was with this Church, which he therefore stiles, Growing Thyatira: The true Believers went on from faith to faith, and so consequently conquer­ing and to conquer, Not like languish­ing Ephesus, losing their first lively affec­tions, and abating of their former active Conversation, but making progress in their Christian course, and their last works more than the first: The Church of Ephesus was commended for her first love and first works, and reproved for her declining from them; yea, threatned if she did not return and recover them. David's first ways were most free from scandal, thence it is that Jehosaphat is commended for walking in the first ways of David his Father, 2 Chron. 17.3. The love of too many that have been [Page 117]very hot is grown cold to God and his ways; But these are Sea-marks, recor­ded for our caution, not Landmarks set down for our Direction or Imitation. This of Thyatira is an excellent Copy for all the Churches of Christ to write after; Our last works should be more than the first; our last Sabbath better Sanctified than the former; our last love to one another more than the first, our last prayer better than the former; our Faith, Humility, and all other graces and good things, better in the end than in the be­ginning. How sad will our account be, if God shall find us declining in these things, and we doing worse after twen­ty or forty years profession, than in our first entrance into his ways? That we are less careful in keeping holy the Lords-day than at first? Then we would call the Sabbath a Delight, the holy of the Lord and honourable, and would not unnecessarily run into worldly talk; but now little else is heard from us, and lit­tle difference by observers can be made between that Day and an ordinary Mar­ket or Fair-day. Is this to imitate Thy­atira [Page 118]and not Ephesus rather? No won­der God threatens to pluck all up, and to remove his Gospel from a declining and degenerating people. Oh that yet we might remember whence we are fallen, and repent and do our first works! Yea, let the last be more than the first: The example of God above all should prevail with us; As the Governour of the Feast said to Christ, Every man at the begining doth set forth good wine, and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse; but thou hast kept the good wine till now, John 2.10. Gods first thoughts of love to us that are his people were ve­ry precious, his electing love; His fol­lowing works in our effectual Calling into the state of Grace, and preserving us therein, notwithstanding all the at­tempts of our Enemies, deserves great admiration. But Heaven will be Heaven when all is done; His manifestations and communications there will be such, as will force us to say, O Lord, thou hast kept the best wine till the last? Thy first thoughts and works towards us and in us were wonderful, but yet the last are [Page 119]more than the first; How reasonable is it then that we should strive to a con­formity to the Lord our God in this par­ticular, lest we loose the things we have wrought, and receive not a full reward? And that we may labour to get victory over all the evils growing upon us, let us consider this promise in the Text now before us; the sum of which take in this Proposition:

Doctr. That Christ will give great pow­er, and excellent glory unto Overcomers.

Here are 4. things to be spoken too.

• 1. Who are they that Overcome?
• 2. What is that great Power Christ will give them?
• 3. What is the Glory here pro­mised?
• 4. The Reasons of the Doctrine. These will make way for the Use.

Quest. 1. Who are or may be said to be Overcomers?

Answ. The Text gives a significant answer to this Question; He that keep­eth Christs works unto the end. When it saith, He that overcometh, some will ask, who is he? How shall we know him? He addeth; and keepeth my Works unto the end, as exegetical of the for­mer. [Page 120]Now these works of Christ are either such as he commanded, or such as he himself practised, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps, perhaps both the one and the other, and both stand in direct oposition to Jeze­bels wicked works, mentioned vers. 20. This Jezebel is judged to be some great Princess, like that Jezebel who was the wife of King Ahab, mentioned, 1 King. 21. only with this difference, she spo­ken of in Thyatira pretends to be a Prophetess, and covers all her Wicked­ness under that cloak; the other more openly and boldly declared her Sin: Now he that keepeth Christ's works in opposition to these, is he that over­cometh. He that keepeth those works of Purity and Holiness Christ hath commanded, and practised for our imi­tation; (for some things he did qua Deus, as he was God, which are for our Admiration, not for our Imitation; some things he did qua Mediator, in dying to reconcile God and man, in which we are not capable to imitate him) viz. That Meekness and Humility, which [Page 121]he requires us to learn of him, Mat. 11.29. The word [...] signifies one that is near the ground, thus was Christ; in all his Actions he expressed great Humi­lity, and this not seemingly only, as the Bishop that was asked, Visne Epi­scopari? Answered, Nolo. Modestly shewing himself unwilling, when yet he had used all means to obtain it; but really, he declined earthly Promotions and Dignities, out of Humility of Spi­rit. Farther, Christ was much in Prayer, which work he did for our Imitation: Upon which one descants thus, Orat is qui non fecit peccatum? silet peccator? Orat Medicus? Cessat Aegrotus? Orat Judex? Silet Reus? Oh! Shall he that is In­nocent Pray, and the Sinner be silent? Shall the Physician pray, and the Pa­tient be silent? Shall the Judge pray, and the Guilty, condemned Malefactor, hold his peace? Again, Christ was com­passionate to the Bodies and Souls of Men in Misery, Mat. 9.36, 37, 38. He set them a praying for Labourers to be sent into the Harvest, and he himself went up and down Preaching the Go­spel [Page 122]of the Kingdom, and healing Bo­dily Diseases: He was very zealous for the Worship of God, and against Super­stitious Innovations, The zeal of his Fa­thers house did eat him up, Joh. 2.17, He went through great Sufferings with much Patience; Oppressed and afflicted he was, yet opened not his mouth, Esay 53.7. He was faithful to him that appointed him, Heb. 3.2. He did heartily and freely forgive the worst of his Enemies, pray­ing, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. He was much grieved for the sins of others, and wept over Jerusalem. These and many more works Christ did, that we might tread in his steps: A Christian should be, alter Chri­stus, another Christ.

He then that keepeth these works of Christ as the Apple of his Eye, which the least dust will offend, Prov. 7.2. Or as a man keeps his Treasure, which he locks up in safety; or as a man keeps his Life, which he values above the world; or as an honest Traveller keeps his way, he would not go out of it willingly; and if he mistakes, upon knowledg of [Page 123]it is troubled; thankful to him that bet­ter informs him, speedily returns into his way, is more circumspect to prevent wandering for the future, and mends his pace for the time he lost. He that thus keeps the Works of Christ, and that to the end, to the end of the pre­sent Trial, yea, to the end of his Lise, this is he that overcometh. That's the first.

Quest. 2. What is that Power Christ here promises to give to Overcomers?

Answ. Some think it extends only to the present Enemies of this Church of Thyatira, viz. Jezebel and her adherents; which although it hath much Comfort in it to the Members of that Church; Yet this Interpretation is too narrow: For the Text saies, He that overcometh, to him will I give Power over the Nati­ons: a Term of a very large extent. Yea, to shew the largeness of the Pow­er, it is said to be the like Power to what Christ received of his Father. Now God the Father hath given Christ. Power over all flesh, Joh. 17.2. And though Believers are not capable of ha­ving [Page 124]a Power every way equal with what Christ hath received; yet some share in it or shadow of it, is here pro­mised to be given them. Now Christ hath received [...], which does import Rule and Authority. This is Threefold:

1. There is, Potestas Dispositiva, a Right to order and dispose all things and persons in the Nations; which some call a Providential Power: on this account he is stiled King of Nations, Jer. 10.7. Because he ruleth by his Power for ever, His eyes behold the Nations, Psal. 66.7. He disposeth of his Enemies, For he hath bought them, though they deny him, 2 Pet. 2.14. He gave the price of his Blood sufficient for them, and hath Right to dispose of them, and to expect service from them: He hath this Power over his Friends, he hath received Gifts for them, though at pre­sent rebellious; yet he will subdue them to himself, that he may dwell in them, Psal. 68.18. Power to turn them from Darkness to Light, and from the power of Satan to God, Act. 26. He hath the Key [Page 125]of David, he openeth and none can shut; and shutteth, and none can open, Rev. 3.7. called the Key of the house of David, I­sa. 22.22. that is, of the Church, as some interpret. A Similitude taken from those that keep the Keys of a Ci­ty, Castle, or Pallace, the Gates where­of cannot be opened without their leave and Order. Thus Christ had opened a Church-door in Philadelphia, vers. 8. which no man can shut: There was an open door, though many adversaries, 1 Cor. 16.9. He openeth the heart-door also, so opened he Lydia's heart, Acts, 16.14. He openeth the door of faith, as he did to those Gentiles, Acts 14.31. He openeth the door of hope in the valley of Achor, Hos. 2.15. And makes the Soul that is filled with trou­ble and despairs to evade, to hope against hope; He openeth a door of deliverance from the greatest dangers and extremi­ties. A shadow of this power is promised to Overcomers, for by Faith and Prayer they engage the Power and Providence of Christ to work for them: Jacob had by prayers and tears, power over the [Page 126]Angel, viz. Christ, the great Angel of the Covenant, and prevailed; so that a strange change was wrought in his Bro­ther, who though he breath'd out threat­nings and slaughter against Jacob, yet meeting together, Esau embraced him so lovingly, contrary to his expectation, that he accepted it as a plain token of Gods presence. Hence he saith, I have seen thy Face as though I had seen the face of God, Gen. 33.10. In his Brother's re­conciled countenance he saw the graci­ous face of God smiling upon him: This Victory God granted to Jacob, as the fruit of his Wrestling and Weeping in Prayer, suffering himself to be overcome by him, and subduing his Brother's rage and malice against him. David's Pray­er prevailed with God to defeat Achi­tophel's evil Cousel, 2 Sam. 15.31. and 17.23. Stephen's Prayer prevailed for the Conversion of many of his Perse­cutors: Faithful and fervent Prayers have made wonderful Turns in the Na­tions of the World, as might at large be shewed. While Moses lifted up his pray­ing and believing hand, Israel prevailed [Page 127]against Amalek, Exod. 17.11. when he let them down, Amalek prevailed, and the Israelites hands were enfeebled: where we see how dangerous it is to faint in Prayer, and how powerful Prayer is a­gainst the Power of Warlike Enemies. When Esther and her people were so­lemnly engaged in this work, what a strange Turn was made thereby? A great Turn there was upon the King's heart, he recalls all his Orders granted out for the destroying of the Jews, and the whole Plot was turned upon Ha­man's head, who contrived it against God's people: This way they have great Power over the Nations.

2. There is Potestas Legislativa, a Legislative, or Lawgiving Power, which Christ hath received of his Father: Thus he is stiled the Judge, the King, the Lawgiver to his people, Isa. 33.22. There is one Lawgiver, saith St. James, Jam. 2.12. viz. Christ. Lycurgus, Solon, and others had Potestatem vitae & necis, Po­wer of Life and Death; and many now there are who make and give Laws: yet there is but one Supreme and Absolute [Page 128]Lawgiver, whose Will is the Rule of Justice, and this is Christ: none can give Laws that directly bind the the Con­science, but he; 'Tis true, We are to sub­mit our selves to every Ordinance of man; but it is for the Lord's sake, 1 Pet. 2.13. 'Tis God's command that lays an Obli­gation upon our Consciences to observe man's; yet withal, if mens Laws be contrary to God's, though we must sub­mit unto, not resist the Higher Powers, yet active Obedience must not be given. We are to obey God rather than men, saies the Apostle, Act. 4.19. For men to impose Laws upon the Conscience, to be observed, ex intuitu voluntatis, upon the bare sight of their Will, is to set them­selves down in the Throne of God, and speaks the very Spirit of Antichrist. Now a shadow of this Law-giving Power may be given by Christ to those that over­come the Enemies, and live in the times of the Churches Exaltation upon the head of them all. When Christ was in­vested with all Power in Heaven and Earth, he said to his Disciples, Go ye and teach all Nations to observe whatsoever [Page 129]I have commanded, Mat. 28.19, 20. And when Christ shall have exalted the Mountain of his House above all the Hills and Mountains of worldly Power and Glory, then shall the Law go forth from Sion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem, and all Nations shall flow unto it. Behold here a shadow of this Law­giving Power given to his Church, even as he received of his Father. All Na­tions shall either professionally or really stand in an awful respect of, and to the Church, and bow to the Laws of Christ therein established: for they primarily receive the Law from Christ's mouth, and secondarily from the Church.

There is, Potestas Distributiva; which is a Power to distribute Rewards and Punishments: This some call a Ju­diciary Power, a Power of judging all Nations, giving Eternal Live to Belie­vers, and Eternal Death to all the world besides. The Father judgeth no man, but hath cammitted all Judgment to the Son, Joh. 5.22. Before him shall be gathered all Nations, and he shall separate them [Page 130]one from another, as a Shepherd divides his Sheep from the Goats, Mat. 24. As many Divisions as now there are, all will then come under that one Division, either Sheep or Goats, and will have their Judgment passed by Christ, to whom the Father hath given that Po­wer. Such a Power over the Nations is here promised to Overcomers; Know ye not that the Saints shall judge the world, saith the Apostle, 1 Cor. 6.2. Not Au­thoritatively and principally, not by pronouncing Sentence, this is peculiar to Christ; but they shall joyn with him in judging them at the Last Day, gi­ving their consent unto, and applauding his righteous Sentence. This seems here chiefly intended; for it is such a Power, as whereby the Nations are broken, as the vessels of a Potter are broken to shivers; so the Text expres­seth: Now earthen Vessels are easily and irrecoverably broken, especially by an Iron Rod. Other Scriptures speak the same, This honour have all his Saints, saies David, To execute the Judgment written, Psal. 149.8. What Judgment, [Page 131]and where written? Some refer it to Enoch's Prophecy, mentioned by St. Jude v. 14, 15. Behold, the Lord cometh with ten Thousands of his Saints, to execute judgment upon all, &c. To adjudge the wicked of the Nations to eternal Mi­sery. This dominion over the Nations shall the upright have in the Morning of the resurrection, Psal. 49.14.

Quest. 3. What is that eminent Glory Christ here promiseth to him that Over­cometh?

Answ. I will give him the Morning-star, saies Christ. A sweet and full pro­mise; the sum of it take in the following particulars:

1. Some understand it of Christ him­self, who is stiled The bright and Morning-star, Rev. 22.16. Thus he calls him­self: The sense then is, I will communi­cate my self wholly to him, and make him conformable to me in glory; Always the proportion of the head and members observed: The Morning-star is the most bright and shining of all the stars of Hea­ven, and communicates its light to the world; Christ excels all men and Angels, [Page 132]as far as the Morning-star all the Stars of Heaven; and he communicates all Light of Grace and Glory to the world of Be­lievers. He is stiled The Star of Jacob, Numb. 24.17. this notes his two Na­tures. A Star in its Original is from Heaven, which points at his Divine Na­ture, who is the Lord from Heaven, 1 Cor. 15. yet a Star of Jacob, as a man of the Posterity of Jacob; so we must conceive him, both God and Man: And thus considered, He is full of Grace, and of his fulness do all Believers receive, even Grace for Grace. The Morning-star dispels the Nights darkness: When this Day-star arises fully in our hearts, all mists of Ignorance and Errour are dispel­led, wherein we were wrapped in our night of sin and imperfect condition here.

2. It may intimate, that Christ will give him that overcomes a glorious Re­surrection at the Last-Day. The Pro­phet Daniel hints at this, They that turn many to Righteousness shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament, even as the Stars, for ever and ever, Dan. 12.3. [Page 133]There will not be the same measure and degree of this; For as one Star differs from another in Glory, so it shall be in the Resurrection, 1 Cor. 15.41. yet all will be adorned with resplendent Lustre and Brightness, far exceeding the beauty of the Stars; For then shall the Righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father, Mat. 13.43. Those that have here lien among the pots smutched and sullied, shall then outshine the Sun in his strength. Shine they shall in their Bodies, which shall be conformed to the most glorious body of Christ, Phil. 3.21. And in their Souls, those Spirits of just men made perfect; and in their whole persons, as the Spouse of Christ; Ʋxor fulget radiis Mariti; she shall shine with the Beams of his Beauty. A glimpse of this Glory was seen in Mo­ses's Face, in Christ's Transfiguration, in Stephen's Countenance: But the full manifestation thereof is reserved to the day of the Resurrection.

3. It may imply, That the Over­comer shall have the next degree of Glory to Christ, as the Morning-Star is [Page 134]next the Sun; and is called, as some think, The Son of the Morning, Isa.. 14.12. Be­cause it usually appears in the Morning, a little before the Sun-rising; as if it were by the Morning produced. Victorious Souls shall be very near to Christ in Place and Glory. When one requested her two Sons might sit, the one at Christ's right hand, the other at his left, in his Kingdom. He answers, It shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of his Father. Among others, those that have encountred great Troubles, and come off Conquerors, shall share in this Honour; For upon this request of the woman, Christ said, Are ye able to drink of the Cup I am to drink of, and to be baptized with the Baptism I am to be Baptized with? Mat. 20.20. &c. Implying, they must come under a Baptism of Blood and Suffering, that would come to this Honour, to be so near to me as you de­sire: This honour hath he reserved to give to him that Overcometh. All the Saints shall be with him, but these so near to him, as the Morning-Star to the Sun.

4. This Phrase may also intimate, that Christ will give the First-fruits of Glory, Foretastes of Heaven, even whiles in this world, to assure of the full en­joyment in another. The Morning-star is, Anteambulo Solis, the Suns Har­binger, and Fore-runner of a perfect Day. Christ will give such as overcome Prelibations and Pledges of future Hap­piness, assuring them, That their path shall be as the Light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day, Prov. 4.18.

This Morning they will not exchange for the brightest Noon-day of worldly Glory, which ends in a Midnight of Trouble and Misery; but their Morning-Light is in a full Sunshine of Happiness. Hence the Saints are said to have re­ceived the first-fruits of the Spirit, Rom. 8.23. Though in regard of quantity, the First-fruits under the Law, were but an handful in comparison of the whole; yet in their signification, they were an evidence to them that they should receive a good crop of the rest: So the Graces and Comforts of the Spi­rit of God Believers have here, are not [Page 136]only sweet to their apprehension for the present, but also in their reflection as to what is future; they are a pledg of the full Harvest: Christ is said to be The first-fruits of them that sleep, 1 Cor. 15.20. Because his Resurrection was a forerunner of the Resurrection of all his Members; so are the first fruits of the Spirit here, an assurance of a joyful Harvest of Heavenly Felicity hereafter. The first beginnings of Spiritual Rege­neration, are an earnest of the whole crop of Salvation. And as it was said of old, The Gleanings of Ephraim are better than the Vintage of Abiezer; so may I say in this matter, The first Fruits of Glory Believers receive here, are better than the greatest harvest of earthly contentments; because a drop here is a sure sign of a River hereafter: the Morning-star a certain forerunner of a glorious constellation in Heaven. To all which may be added, that,

5. This Phrase implies, that Christ will clear the wronged innocency of Be­lievers: As the Morning-Star brings light after a dark night, so after many [Page 137]false accusations and uncharitable cen­sures passed against them by the World, and Professors also, God will bring forth their righteousness as the light, and their judgment as the Noon-day, as the Scrip­ture sheweth, Psal. 37.6. As the hope of the Morning-Star to usher in the day, causeth us not to be offended with the darkness of the night, so ought Belie­vers to trust and wait upon God, know­ing that he will clear their cause, and restore to them their right. When Zo­phar would encourage Job to listen to his counsel, his agument is, Thine age shall be clearer than the Noon day, thou shalt shine forth as the morning, Job 11.17. Thou shalt overcome the darkness at pre­sent upon thee, thy innocency be revi­ved, and comforts renewed. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the Morning, Psal. 30.5. The morning is, as it were, the reviving time after the death of sleep, and brings the light, the emblem of joy, after darkness; Thus will Christ cause the light of his peoples Innocency and Uprightness to rise in ob­scurity, and their darkness to be as the [Page 138]Noon day, Isaiah, 58.10. As God can cause the Sun of wicked mens honour and prosperity to go down at noon, so he can and will cause the light of the Saints to rise at midnight: As Haman is a notable example of the first, so Joseph of the latter: Hamans glory and honour how quickly was it obscured and eclipsed with clouds of disgrace and ignominy? so the false accusations which darkened Josephs reputation vanished as clouds be­fore the Sun when he goeth forth in his night; There shall be a resurrrection of names, as well as of persons; A day when God will make up his jewels, Mal. 3.17. Then shall he take them up out of the dirt of reproaches and sufferings, and make them clean; such a vindication from all unjust imputations and aspersi­ons, as will give them light and glad­ness, joy and honour, Esth. 8.16. By these things it is evident how eminent the glory is Christ promises to the Over­comer, when he saith he will give him the morning-star. The Use follows.

Ʋse 1. Behold here then the misery of those, who yielding themselves ser­vants [Page 139]to corruption, slaves to Satan, and Captives to the world, lose their part in these great promises, and the contrary evils are their lot and portion; such are all those who instead of keeping Christ's works to the end, keep their sinful and wicked works to the end; hold fast deceit and hypocrisy to the end, retain their pride and worldliness to the end, keep their unclean, drunken, and profane works to the end; being thus entangled and overcome, and some after they seemed to have escaped and got victory over them, yet are again brought into bondage, their latter end will be worse than their beginning, 2 Pet. 2.21. Because they sin against knowledge, and love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil. These may have power over Nations as civil Governours, so had Ahasuerus, Bel­shazzar and others; Alexander called the Conquerour, having subdued a great part of the world then inhabited, yet these were overcome by their lusts: It was true of them all what was said of the last, vicit mundum, a se vero victus; [Page 140]He conquered the world but was over­come by himself: What could it profit to rule over men a while, and lusts ru­led over them, unto their destruction? These were also overcome by Divine Wrath and Justice. All the power men have, and Victories they get over men, will not secure them from being broken to shivers by Christs Iron rod, as a Pot­ters Vessel, fatally and irrecoverably ruined: Better is he that by the power of grace ruleth his Spirit, than he that taketh a City or ruleth over Kingdoms.

Such may have worldly grandeur, exter­nal Pomp and Splendour, and shine like Stars of the first magnitude, yet going on in a slate and course of sin, are but wandering Stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever, Jude 13. The Angels are stiled Morning-stars; the Morning-stars sang together, that is, the Angels, as Expositors have it; The An­gels rejoyced to see the Foundations of [Page 141]the Earth laid, yet some of them be­came Apostats, fallen Stars, being wil­lingly overcome by sin. Satan is called a fallen Star, Rev. 9.1. We read also of a great Star that fell from Heaven, called Wormwood, Rev. 8.10, 11. The Roman Emperour, say some, who shined bright­ly for a time, but was put down by the Goths; of whom the Prophet Isaiah thus speaks, How art thou fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer, son of the Morning? How art thou cut down to the ground who didst weaken the Nations? Isaiah. 14.12. Sic transit glo­ria mundi; Though the wicked spring as the Grass, and all the workers of Iniquity do flourish, it is that they shall be destroyed for ever, Psal. 92.7. O! who would rest or glory in outward enjoyments or en­dowments, when if the work of Faith and Holiness be not wrought in us with power, if the Kingdom of God comes not into our souls with power, the sin­ners in Sion will be afraid, fearfulness will surprize the Hypocrites, and the cry will be, who among us shall dwell with ever­lasting burnings? Who shall dwell with devouring fire? Isaiah 33.14. Thus will [Page 142]all who are here finally overcome by their yielding themselves Servants unto Unrighteousness and Iniquity; be ever­lastingly miserable, and God justified in his proceedings; and his Justice and Wrath overcome them, when they are judged.

Ʋse 2. This gives yet further matter of Comfort to Believers, to meditate upon the Power and Glory here pro­mised to him that Overcometh: Here you are many times oppressed by the Powers of the Nations, therefore you shall have at length full Power over all Nations; Here you endure long and dark Nights of Temptation, Desertion, and Affliction, yet yielded not to Satan and Sin, therefore the Morning-Star shall be given to you; And when Christ who is your life shall appear, you also shall appear with him in Glory, Col. 3.4. Faith­ful is he that hath promised, who also will do it. Mens Promises fail through want of Fidelity or Ability to perform them; Satan's Promises are made to deceive: but the words of Christ are true and faithful: He is Jehovah, who gives a [Page 143]being to them in their appointed time.

Ʋse 3. Let all be perswaded to wax more valiant in fight, and strive to be Overcomers, that we may inherit the Power and Glory here set before us in this Text: What desperate Designs will some venture upon in hopes of worldly Power and Glory? Christ knowing how tempting and taking these are with the Sons of Men, sets these suitable Pro­mises before them, to animate and en­courage them to quit themselves like Men in this holy War, and be strong unto the Battle; and that they who are engaged and have begun well, may not be turned back, and give ground to the Enemy: To this end, could we overcome God, and get his Presence, Influences, and Assistances, we should overcome all others with ease. If God be for us, saies St. Paul, who can be against us? Rom. 8.31. 'Tis true, many are actually against us, all the Powers of Hell and Earth; But, Quis efficaciter? who can be against us to any purpose, so as to effect their Designs against us? If God take our part, we shall see our desire upon them [Page 144]that hate us. Now there are two ways men prevail with God; that is, to speak after the manner of men; he yields him­self conquered, by the Reflection of their Graces, and the Importunity of their Prayers.

• 1. By the Reflection of their Graces; Turn away thine eyes from me, saies Christ to his Spouse, for they have overcome me, Cant. 6.4. they have exceedingly wrought and won upon me, like that, Cant. 4.9. Thou hast ravished my heart, My Sister, my Spouse, thou hast ravished mine heart with one of thine eyes; Excordiasti me, so some Gloss, thou hast unhearted me, thou hast taken away my heart from me: An Allusion to Lovers, who are overcome with the Beauty of those whom they affect.
• 2. By the Im­portunity of their Prayers; One faith of prayer, Ligat Omnipotentem, Vincit In­vincibilem: It overcomes him that is in­deed Invincible; as Moses, Jacob and o­thers have had Experience; This is the best Victory, and the foundation of all other Victories: Make we him our Friend, by the exercise of Faith up­on him, and fervent Prayer to him, [Page 145]and no matter who be our Enemy: It was once said to Israel, Ye need not fight, for the Lord fighteth for you, Exod. 14.

But we are to fight, and not be terri­fied by our Adversaries; For more are they that are with us, than they that are against us, 2 Kin. 6.16. Let us then prevail with the Almighty, and we are in some sense almighty, and shall over­come all in his Strength, and have that Power over the Nations, and the Mor­ning-Star here promised to him that Overcometh.

THese words contain another of those Promises made to Over­comers; 'tis the Conclusion of that Epistle to the Church in Sardis; The Officers and Members were mostly unsound, hence stiled Hypocri­cal Sardis by some; She had a name to live, but was dead; verse 1. A name [Page 147]she had in the World, and a name a­mongst other Churches; but, nomen inane, crimen immane, as one said, an empty name is a great crime. Alexander the Conquerour commanded him that was of his name, but a coward, either to lay down his name or fight couragi­ously; so in some respects it's better not to have the name of Christians upon us, when nothing of the life and power of Christianity is in us: What could a shew of vivacity and vigorousness profit them, when indeed they were little better than dead, in a spiritual Lethargy, or dead Palsey? or like a Body some Mem­bers whereof are dead, though not all? This was the case of this Church, she was dead whilst she lived, seemed alive to others, but dead to God; I have not found thy works perfect before God, says Christ to her, verse 2. [...], full, as the word signifies; They might be full before men who can see only the outward appearance, but otherwise be­fore God, life-less, heartless services in his sight who looketh chiefly there; Om­nis Sarmatarum virtus extra ipsos, as [Page 148] Tacitus of old spake of them. Thus it was here, their works were fair and spacious in shew, but shored up by po­pularity or other low respects, and so could not with their dead works accep­tably serve the living God: The taint and infection of Hypocrisy, if predo­minant, is pernicious to all good works; This being their condition, Christ gives directions for their cure and recovery; He calls upon them to be watchful and strive to strengthen that which is ready to dye; verse 2. as if he had said, some among you have yet some good in you, though it be but in a languishing condition, in a swound and ready to ex­pire: now when persons are to dye, the watch-candle had not need go out, those about them had need be waking and diligent; so when good is declining and dying, then need there is to be watchful, least the little remaining spark be quite extinct: To move them to this and other means of recovery, he threatens if they did it not, he would come upon them as a thief, when they were secure, unexpectedly, as thieves do [Page 149]upon men asleep; and Calamity the more sudden, the more terrible: partly because it exanimates a man, makes his heart faint and fail, as an unexpected storm doth a Marriner; Partly, because it can as little be prevented as a weak Family can prevent thieves breaking in upon them at unawares: by this he moves them to rouse up themselves, and shake them out of this sinful Le­thargy, as Sampson went out and shook him, when the Philistines were upon him; which if they did not, he would come in an hour when they looked not for him, and take away all their desira­ble enjoyments from them, and leave them spoiled and destitute: On the other hand, he subjoyns a comfortable promise to all such as should overcome those pre­dominant distempers now upon them, which the Text holds forth to them, and to us in them: The sum of which you have in the Doctrine, which is,

Doct. That Overcomers shall be emi­nently clothed, their names indelibly re­corded, and openly acknowledged, by Jesus Christ. Here are three things:

1. Overcomers shall be eminently clothed: The same shall be clothed in white Raiment, says Christ here; They shall not be found naked, being covered with the Covering which is of Gods Spirit, Isaiah 30.1. This clothing is no other than Christ himself, who is the spiritual Garment every true Belie­ver puts on, according to that exhorta­tion of the Apostle Paul to the Romans, Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, Rom. 13.14. A Text by reading and pondering whereof St. Austin confesses he was con­verted. This [...] does imply [...]. That Christ is the Christians Vestment, his Spiritual clothing and apparel: The meaning then is, Overcomers shall be covered all over with Christ: clothed with his Merit and Righteousness, and so be justified: He is made of God, to such, Righteousness, 1 Cor. 1.30. So some un­derstand that of the Prophet Isaiah, chap. 61.10. he, speaking of God, hath clothed me with the Robe of Righteous­ness, he hath put upon me the Garments of Salvation; meaning Christ, salvato­rem & justificatorem nostrum, who co­vers [Page 151]Believers with his own Righteous­ness, as with a precious Robe of Salva­tion. He doth not only redeem them with his Blood, being a Lamb slain, sed etiam lams operuit, as one excellently saith; He covers them with his Fleece, with his Wool; meaning his own Righ­teousness. More particularly, he covers the very Nature; for no created Na­ture can behold God; the very Sera­phims with their Wings cover their Fa­ces before his glorious Presence, Isa. 6.2. much less can the Nature of man stand before his Majesty without a Christ. He covereth the sins of all Believers; the loathsom habitual Sore of our na­tural deformity: On which account Christ saith to his Church, Thou art all fair, my Love, there is no spot in thee: All their Actual Sins also, the ugliness and filthiness of them is by this covered, together with all the Spots and Imper­fections of their Holy Duties.

It's observable, That the Mercy-seat under the Law covered the two Tables of the Decalogue, Exod. 25. This Mercy-Seat typified Christ, who is cal­led [Page 152] [...], Rom. 3.25. as the Mercy-Seat is, Heb. 9.5. The Cherubims co­vered the Mercy-Seat, and the Mercy-Seat covered the Ark, in which were the two Tables of the Law: So Christ is that Covering-Mercy-Seat that covers all the sins of Believers against the Law of God, so that he imputes it not to them: They are likewise clothed with the Graces of Christ, those Habitual Graces and Vertues in Christ are im­planted into them; He was full of Grace, and of his Fulness they all do receive, and Grace for Grace, Joh. 1.14.16. Their Impatience is clothed with his Patience, their Pride is clothed with his Humility, their Frowardness with his Meekness, their Ignorance with his Wisdom and Knowledg, their Unbelief with his Faith, and the like. In a word, He so covers them as they are secure from those hurts and mischiefs that otherwise they lye open to: They are secured from Divine Wrath and Vengeance; which else they can no more avoid, than a naked man can fence off Fire; Christ and his Graces are the Skreen between [Page 153]them and everlasting Burnings. They are by this also secured from Satan's assaults, to whose fiery darts they are liable to be exposed, having no other way to e­vade the destroying dint and power of them, but to be covered with the Ar­mour of Light and Righteousness; this put on by Faith, quencheth the fiery darts of that wicked one, Ephes. 6.16. Secured they are also from the terrible stings and lashes of an accusing Con­science: By his Blood their hearts are sprinkled from an evil Conscience, Heb. 10.22. As our bodily Garments are, Munimenta corporis, a kind of a moveable Garrison, as one stiles them, in which the Body marches and is defended from many Inconveniences; so is Christ to the Souls of all that Overcome. The sum of this Promise then amounts to this in the General; That Christ and his Righteousness shall be effectually ap­plied to their particular persons. The clothing of the Body is the application of Apparel to the Body; so Christ is and shall be appropriated and applied to Believers, whereby they shall be as [Page 154]fully possess'd of him, as a man is of the Garments with which he is clothed; they shall have him as their own, to all holy and good ends appointed. It's a thing of high moment, considering (as hath been hinted) how he is fitted every way to our condition. As there must be a fitness between the Clothes, and the person who is to wear them; so there is in this case. An High-Priest he is, and such as became us, as is suited and fitted to our circumstances; we ob­noxious to Wrath, he is our Peace; we unjust, he Righteous; we dead, he is Life; we poor, he is Rich; we deformed, he Lovely; we filthy, he Holy: With this clothing are Overcomers invested, and continue ever thus clothed. As the putting off the old man is so done, as they never put him on again; so the putting on Christ's Righteousness and Graces is so done, as they never put it off more, but stand before God in this clothing to all Eternity. And that we may yet a little further see and be af­fected with the sweetness of this Pro­mise, it is said, They shall be clothed with [Page 155]white Raiment; which notes Purity, Di­gnity, Beauty and Festivity.

1. It notes Purity; White Garments are clean, free from Pollution and De­filement. We read of Joshua having fil­thy Garments upon him, Zech. 3.3. The tattered Rags of the old Adam, the nasty Filthiness and superfluity of Naugh­tiness that yet remained in him, (though in part regenerate) and intermingled with his best works. Should God break open that filthy sink of Sin that is in the best of us, we should not only be loath­some to God and to men, but to our selves also. I have read of one Mr. Le­ver, who desired of God he might see his utmost uncleanness, who gave him his request: He saw his Sins in such ugly colours, as caused him to go down Mourning to his grave. Now Joshua found Grace in the Lord's sight, and had his filthy garments taken away from him, and was cloathed with change of Raiment, vers. 4. His rags were changed into Robes, his polluted garments into clean Clothing: He was arrayed with that fine and clean Linnen, which is the [Page 156]Righteousness of Saints, Rev. 19.8. Thus the Lord takes upon him their sin, and puts on them his pure and spotless Righ­teousness. A blessed exchange indeed! Christ puts upon Overcomers his own Comliness, decks them with his own Purity, to take away all their Defile­ments.

2. It notes Dignity and Honour: In old time when Men were dignified for any Service done to their Prince, they were clothed with the White Raiment; Thus when Ahasuerus the King would put Honour upon Mordecai, he caused him to be clothed with a Garment of Royal Apparel, White and Blue, Esth. 8 15. such as Kings and great Ones used to wear: What shall be done to the man, saies the forenamed King to: Haman, that the King delights to honour? Who answereth thus, Let the Royal Ap­parel be brought that the King useth to wear, that they may array that man withal, Esth. 6.6, 7, 8, 9. As if he had said, Let the Keepers of the Ward­robe bring forth the Kings most Sum­ptuous Apparel, that he useth to wear [Page 157]when he sitteth in State, and put it upon him in the best manner they can. Thus shall he that Overcometh be ar­raied with Honourable Clothing, like the Favoutites, yea the Children of the King of Kings; The Everlasting Righ­teousness of Christ, a Garment so Ho­nourable as never yet came upon the back of an Angel: Such honour have all his Saints, to stand before him in this Noble Clothing, peculiar to them in the House and Family of this great King of Heaven.

3. It intimates Beauty and Glory; This is also set out by the colour of white; so when Christ was transfigured on the Mount, his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light, that is, it shined with an extraor­dinary splendour and brightness, Mat. 17.2. We find the countenance of the An­gel, Mat. 28.3. to be like lightning, and his raiment white as snow; and two other (called men, appearing in humane shape) in white apparel, that is, very glorious and beautiful, Acts 1.10. Thus Over­comers shall be clothed in white Rai­ment, [Page 158] they shall walk with me in white; saith Christ, Rev. 3.4. in great Beauty and Glory: The Kings Daughter is all glo­rious within, her clothing is of wrought gold, Psal. 45.10. Yea, they are said to be clothed with the sun, Rev. 12.1. Cloth of Gold is accounted very glorious, but if a man were clothed with the natural Sun, he would be much more bright and beautiful. How renowned for beau­ty are they then who are clothed with the Sun of Righteousness? Some who have no natural beauty, yet appear amia­ble by their fine shining Garments; They are for Ornament, and are to the Body as rich Hangings or costly Varnish over a wall of Clay, which make it look better than else it would; as the Poet saith, Viro vestis magnum decus addit ho­nesta; Such a garment is Christ, he a­dorns the Soul, and gives it a rich and perfect beauty; He is set out by the wedding-garment, Mar. 22.12. The High Priests garments of old were but types of this, which were made for beauty and glory, Exod. 28.2. All the comliness of the Saints, is by reason of this beautiful [Page 159]dress in which they are attired: This is that Raiment of Needle-work which is a great Ornament to them, though out­wardly in rags or mean clothing. He is a Crown and Diadem upon the head; Signified by that fair Miter which was set upon Joshua's head, Zach. 3.5. which hath its name from compassing about, because it invironed the High Priests head. It had a holy Crown with it, Exod. 29.6. signifying the Deity and Dignity of Christ. It had also upon the forefront of it a plate of pure gold with this engraving, Holiness to the Lord; who is said to be glorious in Holiness. All shews what excellent beauty and glo­ry is put upon the Overcomer clothed with this white Raiment.

4. It signifies festivity and rejoycing; Black is the mourning colour, white is the colour of delight and joy: They used white Garments at Feasts and joyful Solemnities: Hence that of Solomon, Let thy garments be always white, Eccl. 9.8. Not absolutely, but in all proper seasons of rejoycing. The very beasts on which they rode in triumph to praise the Lord [Page 160]for victory over their Enemies were of this colour; They rode on white Asses, Judg. 5.10. That great mercy of Abso­lution is set out to us under the notion of a white stone, Rev. 2.17. To signify what ground of spiritual joy they have whose sin is pardoned. The sense then is, Overcomers shall be filled with joy un­speakable and full of glory, 1 Pet. 1.8. Glorious, because this joy is a taste of future Glory, or else because it made them glorious in the eyes of men: The Kingdom of God is joy in the Holy-Ghost, Rom. 14.17. When they are worsted by their Enemies, they are filled with hea­viness; but if at any time they lead captivity captive, and can get their feet upon the neck of those that hate them, then their sorrow is turned into joy, and their joy shall no man take away from them. When Israel (or rather God for Israel) overcame Pharaoh and his Hosts, Then sang Israel a joyful song unto the Lord, Exod. 15. Thus shall all victorious Souls have their mouths filled with laughter, and their tongues with singing, and say, The Lord hath done great things for us, [Page 161]whereof we are glad; Great is the shout­ing and rejoycing of Soldiers when they get a Victory, and with much better joy shall they be clothed and filled, who conquer in this holy war. This is the first thing here promised.

2. Rea. Overcomers names are inde­libly recorded by Jesus Christ; who here assures them of it, saying, I will not blot out his Name out of the Book of Life. A Metaphorical expression also; we read of the book of Scripture, the book of Nature, the book of Conscience, and here and in other places of the book of Life, and that the names of men are written there, and those once engraven never shall be obliterated, Phil. 4.3. Rev. 13.8. There we find the Lambs book of Life, wherein are names written from the foundation of the world; The phrase is taken from the enrolling of Citizens and Soldiers, that they may be known to be such. The promise implies, That Overcomers are dear and precious in the eyes of Christ; It is in matters of some concernment that things are committed to writing, which men will carefully [Page 162]keep, that nothing be expunged or blotted out: This is seen in Jeremiah and others, who caused Writings to be drawn and preserved upon weighty oc­casions. Christ hath an high esteem of Valiant and Conquering Christians, they are written before him; yea, they are written within him, engraven in his Knowledg and Remembrance, and in his Love and Affections, as very dear unto him. As the Names of the Tribes were written upon Stones, which the High-Priest bare on his Breast-plate, when he went into the most holy Place: Even so the names of all Believers are written upon the heart of Christ, to shew how precious they are to him. Queen Ma­ry said, If she were opened after her Death, they should find Calice written in her heart. Were Faith duely exercised, we might see Believers engraven upon Christ's heart; and this Book shall never admit one of the Names in it to be crossed out. If a Pilate could say, Quod scripsi, scripsi; What I have written, I have written: Christ much more. There are no Errata, and therefore no Delea­tur [Page 163]in the Book of Life. And who should blot them out? Not Men or Angels, for it is a Sealed Book to them; not their Sins, (which yet they fear more than the former) for they them­selves are blotted out by the hand of Free-Grace; I, even I, am he, that blot­teth out thy Transgressions for mine own sake, Isa. 43.25. As a Creditor takes his Pen and blots out the Debt, or as men can­cel Bills of Indictment, so doth God (to speak of him after the manner of men) dip his pen in the Blood of his Son, and dashes out the Hand-writings against them, and cancels all those large Bills: And this not as men blot things out that are written upon Paper, where great blurs remain, and they may possibly be read again; but as a Cloud, as a thick Cloud, Isa. 44.22. The Sun so scatters and blots out the Clouds, that there is no­thing of them to be seen; their sins are so done away, as not to he remembred any more; are as if they had never been. As a Table-Book, wash it, and there is no appearance of any thing written there; so hath the Lord removed their [Page 164]Iniquities: and having blotted out their sins for his Name's sake, will not blot out their Names for their sins sake. So then it remains, that none but Christ can blot out their Names; for he is the Master of the Rolls, and keeps this Book in his own possession, and he hath pre­vented all fears of it, by his own so­lemn Promise in the Text.

Object. Against this some object these two Scriptures, Exod. 32.32, 33. Moses said, Blot me out of thy Book. Who­soever hath sinned against me, saies God, him will I blot out of my Book: especially that, Rev. 22.19. It any man shall take away from the words of the Book of this Prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life.

Answ. As for that place in Exodus, some carry it, as if Moses desired in the former verse to lose his part in a better Life than is here to be enjoyed, even Eternal Life, rather than God be thus dishonou­red and blasphemed; but think it a sin­ful desire, or great zeal at the best with a mixture of corrupt passion in it: But others understand it of the Book of Re­cords, [Page 165]in which mens names were Re­gistred. Princes use to keep such Books, in which were set. down the Names of those that had done them any special Service: Mordecai's name was recorded in such a Book, and how he acted to preserve the King's Life, Esth. 6. And this was much Self-denial in Moses, to be willing to have his Name razed out thence for the Peoples good. Moses rather desired not to live, than that all the people involved in that sin should dye; willing to have his Name blotted out of the Church Records, than the people come under this great Judgment. Like that wish of St. Paul, Rom. 9.3. who wished himself accursed from Christ, for his Brethren and Kinsmen according to the flesh. Some say, Such was his Love to his Kindred, that if it had been con­sistent with the Will of God, he desired to have redeemed the casting away of the Israelites, with the loss of his own Soul for ever: But besides that, this de­sire was impossible to be accompli [...]hed, it would have been sinful. By this [...], or being Accursed from Christ, [Page 166]he means only to be Excommunicated from the Church, which is called Christ, 1 Cor. 12.12. Which argued a high Affection to his Relations. And as to the other place, God's taking away their part out of the Book of Life, is no more than to manifest they have no part therein; and hence we find the Scripture spea­king of some, Whose Names were not written in the Lambs Book of Life from the Foundation of the world, Rev. 13.8. God will declare them to be such, as were not Predestinated from all Eternity to be saved by the Death of Christ. Some there are not written in this Book; but none written there shall be blotted out. That's the Second Particular.

3. Rea. Christ will confess the names of Overcomers before his Father, and before his Angels; as if he had said, I will own and acknowledg him, as he hath owned and acknowledged me: They have confessed him before men, and he hath promised to confess such be­fore his Father, Mat. 10.32. The meaning is, that Christ will publickly own them in the great Day of Judg­ment, [Page 167]and will openly profess their well-tried Faith and other victorious Graces, and they shall be found to Ho­nour, Praise, and Glory at his appearing, 1 Pet. 1.7. Then he will avouch them to be his Children, saying, Father, Be­hold, I and the Children which thou hast given me, Isa. 8.18. Esther, though ad­vanced to Honour with the King, own'd her Relation to Mordecai, and told him what he was unto her, Esth. 8.1. Jo­seph, though advanced to great Dignity and a chief Favourite in Pharaoh's Court, yet owned and confessed his poor Rela­tions, even before the King and his Courtiers, Gen. 47. Even so will Christ at that day own his victorious Servants and Soldiers before the King of Kings, and all those glorious Courtiers of Hea­ven, the holy Angels. A taste of this he gave, when he was here on Earth; When some told him, his Relations stood without desiring to speak with him, he pointed to his Disciples, and said, Behold my Mother, and my Brethren: For who­soever doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven, the same is my Mother, and [Page 168]Sister, and Brother, Mat. 12.49, 50. Here he freely owns and confesses his Spiritual Kindred, and prefers them be­fore his bare natural Relations.

So we find him making a report of their excellency who were his Disciples unto God his Father, saying, I have ma­nifested thy Name to the men whom thou gavest me out of the world, and they have kept thy word, Joh. 17.6. Here he makes an honourable mention of their laying up his words in their hearts, and keep­ing to it in their lives: And though as yet they were but weak, yet he doth notably commend their good beginnings to his Father. What will he do then at last, when they shall have perfectly o­vercome? We find it recorded of John the Baptist, that he confessed and de­nied not, but confessed, I am not the Christ; and after owned him and pointed at him, saying, Behold the Lamb of God, vers. 29. John is plain and bold, inge­nuous and constant in his testimony of Christ, renonuncing the honour due to his Master, and confessing and declaring Christ in the dignity and excellency of [Page 169]his Office, shewing them how he was to execute the same for their good and benefit; which was by Suffering; and therefore points him out as the substance of the Passover, and daily Sacrifices who by the Merit and Vertue of his Death takes away the sin of his own, both Jews and Gentiles. And did John lose by this his resolute Confession? No, not even here; for Christ did as freely confess, and make an honourable men­tion of him, For, saith he, among them that are born of women, there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist, Mat. 11.11. Because he was Christ's im­mediate Forerunner; now the nearer to Christ, the more excellent. He prefers him not only before all the Prophets, but all others that were born before him. This is but the beginning of what Con­fession shall be more fully made of the Names of all that overcome in the great day of the Lords coming to Judgment. The Ʋses follow:

Ʋse 1. See hence the miserable estate of all who overcome not, but are fa­tally and finally overcome in their war­ring [Page 170]against these enemies of our Salva­tion: They have neither part nor lot in these precious Promises; yea, the quite contrary things will be their Portion. In­stead of being clothed in white raiment, in token of Purity, Dignity, Beauty and Festivity, they will at last appear in all their filthy Rags and menstruous Gar­ments; clothed with Shame, and co­vered with confusion of Face. His ene­mies, saith God of David, will I clothe with shame, Psal. 132.18. Much more those that dye in their enmity to him­self. Their Names are written in the Earth, and will be blotted out from under Heaven, Deut. 29.20. They shall not be written among the living in Jerusa­lem, but registred among the dead, as those that are Eternally forgotten of God. Instead of confessing him, he will profess, He never knew them, Mat. 7.23. He will be ashamed of them before his Father, and before all his Angels, as they were of him, and of his words before men, Mark 8.38. A Figurative Speech, and spoken of Christ, after the manner of men, for our capacity: Not that [Page 171]Christ shall then be subject to any shame, or be affected with it; but that he shall so carry himself towards such as have been ashamed of him, ashamed to own his Truth, and engage to fight in his Cause, as men are wont to do towards those of whose company and acquain­tance they are ashamed; that is to say, That he will not acknowledg them for his Saints, Servants, or Soldiers; but utterly refuse, reject, and cast them off, as wicked and reprobate. They who now deny to fight under his Banner, or professing so to do, shall yield to the E­nemy, be overcome and recover not, rise not by true Repentance, these will Christ deny before his Father, and before all Men and Angels.

Ʋse 2. Here is yet further Encou­ragement to all to strive to Overcome: Whose heart can sink into discourage­ment? whose Faith can fail, that reads and duely considers the sweet Cordials in this Text? You shall be clothed with white Raiment, by Christ's own hand it shall be put upon you: White inward­ly, as well as outwardly. Not like the [Page 172] Pharisees, whited Sepulchres, outwardly beautiful, but within full of rottenness and dead mens bones; but as the King's Daughter, All glorious within, Psal. 45. Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like a Lily of the field, Mat. 6.29. The most splendid and gorgeous Robes of the greatest Monarch, are not to be com­pared unto this clothing. This is the best Robe, spoken of, Luke 15. which the Father commanded to be brought forth, and put upon his returning Son; who by Repentance and converting Grace overcame all his former vicious and evil Conversation: This is durable Raiment. God did miraculously pre­serve the Garments of the Israelites from waxing old, Deut. 8.4. But they were otherwise the worse for the wearing, as we say of all other Garments. But this clothing waxeth not old, is as fresh upon the Overcomer, after he hath worn it Thousands of Years, as it was the first day it was put put upon him. The rich man, we read of in the Gospel, was clo­thed with Purple, Luke 16.19. But O­vercomers with Cloth of Gold. Her [Page 173]clothing is of wrought Gold, Psal. 45.13. Yea, far more precious than Gold that perishes. He that yields to his Lusts and other Enemies, rejects this raiment; and does like him we read of, Luk. 8.27. that wore no clothes, and would suf­fer none to be put upon him. Is it not great encouragement then that is here promised, that none shall be so well arraid as the Overcomer? When that man was cured of his Madness, he sate at Jesus feet clothed and in his right mind, vers. 35. None come rightly to themselves but will fight couragiously, and strive to be victorious, since their Rags and poor Apparel here they many times wear, shall be converted into such rich clothing. And so, what a sweet Promise is it that follows? I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life. When some came to Christ, rejoycing that they wrought Miracles, and par­ticularly cast out Devils in his Name, he corrects them as mistaking the true ground of Joy, and points them to the right, Rejoyce not in this that, the Spirits are subject to you; but rather rejoyce in [Page 174]this, that your Names are written in Hea­ven, Luk. 10.20. out of the reach of all your Enemies, they can never cast a blot upon them. Here they blot them with Reproaches, and vile Asper­sions, as Joseph's Mistress did him: Here they blot out, excommonucate and cast out their Names as vile and odious; but still they remain written in Heaven, and shall be had in everlasting Remembrance. So to be confessed by Christ at last be­fore God, Angels and Men, when o­thers shall be discarded with a Discedite a me, nescio vos; Depart from me, I know you not. What Favour and Comfort will it give Overcomers? Having therefore these Promises, let nothing daunt or dismay us; nothing is more unbeseem­ing the Royal Spirit of a Christian. Say not, the Devil is so malicious, the World so ensnaring, the Heart so deceitful, our Attempts against them so fruitless, we shall one day perish by our Enemies hand. Is this the language of Heaven? Are these the words of Faith? Is this the voice of the Scripture, and not rather the whisperings of the Old Serpent? [Page 175]The fruit of slavish Fear and Unbelief? Is not the voice of God quite contrary? Doth not he say, I will pour clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your Iniquities and from all your I­dols I will cleanse you? The God of Peace shall tread down Sathan under your feet shortly, Rom. 16.20. That whatso­ever is born of God, overcometh the world, 1 Joh. 5.4. Has he said it, and shall it not come to pass? Is not he faithful that hath promised? Why then should we be faint-hearted? Why should we suffer our Fears to disanimate and dispirit us? Let us not be like those unbelieving ti­merous Spies, who said, Canaan was a good Land, but there were Anakims, Gi­ants; and by bringing an evil report, disheartned the people, and were shut out by God, Josh. 6. But let us all beg a Caleb-like Spirit, whereby we may follow God fully, as he did, Numb. 14.24. and our Enemies shall not stand before us. Give a Soldier Courage, and you give him all; But take away his Heart, and then he is almost dead before he strike a stroak: It is a Seal to his Over­throw, [Page 176]and a great advantage to the Enemy: This evil of Unbelief and sla­vishness of Spirit, doth us more hurt than all our Enemies can do. When Saul was afraid, he had not a heart to strike a stroke, but went to the Witch, &c. 1 Sam, 28.4, 5. Were we valiant to the Battle, God would say as he did of old to Joshua and Israel, Your enemies shall not be able to stand before you: Ob­serve therefore the language of their enemies, I know the Lord will give you the Land, for your terrour is fallen upon us, say they, and all the Inhabitants of the Land faint because of you. Assoon as we heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more Cou­rage in any man, because of you, Josh. 2.9-11. We cannot please the Enemies better, than to say, We shall never over­come them; for then they pluck up their Spirits, and hope the day shall be theirs: and God is much displeased; and what if he should say, It shall be as we speak, we shall never get Victory? Oh! Let us not provoke him to leave us to the power of our Adversaries. Christ [Page 177]was wont to say, According to your Faith, so be it unto you: And he is of the same mind still. Oh provoke him not to say, According to your Fears, according to your Unbelief, so be it unto you: Only believe, and we shall see the Glo­ry of God, as Christ said to Martha, Joh. 11.40. Lift up your hands that hang down, and your feeble knees, and know that the Battle is not to the strong. Though the Enemy be strong and you weak, yet exercise but Faith upon the Mighty God, and the day is yours. The Difficulties and Dangers should rather animate, and raise the Spirit and Faith of a Christian, than discourage. Alexander, in a great dif­ficulty, would say, Hoc est periculum par animo Alexandri; Here's a danger, or a difficulty, fit for the Spirit and Courage of Alexander to encounter with. Have not Christians reason then to be coura­geous, and when great and hard Service appears, and called to engage in the heat of the Battle, to say, Here is a piece of Service fit for Believers to go [Page 178]through? These are Dangers and Diffi­culties for true Christians, who go out against the Enemy, as David did against Goliah, in the Name and Strength of the Lord: Be strong in the Lord, and in the Power of his Might, and the Victory is yours. Methinks Believers should do as of old Eleazar did, who fought till his hand clave unto his Sword, and the Lord wrought a great Victory that day, 2 Sam 23.9, 10. Let not Faith be asleep in a dead Habit; a Giant may be over­come asleep: Sampson was conquered by the Philistines, being asleep on De­lilahs Lap. Sin and Satan get great ad­vantages upon secure Souls. Let none be discouraged, saying, The Enemy rise afresh upon us; let us look to the Cap­tain of our Salvation for a fresh Supply of his Spirit, and we shall prevail. I conclude with Joab's encouraging words to his Soldiers, Be of good Courage, and let us play the men for our People, and for the Cities of our God, and let the Lord do that which seemeth him good, 2 Sam. 10.12. So I say, Let us be of good Cou­rage [Page 179]in this Cause of God and our Souls, and leave the issue unto God, who will bring us off Conquerors, and cause us to inherit the good of these Promises in the Text.

EVery Promise is a Breast of Con­solation, from whence the Soldi­ers of Christ may draw fresh Au­xiliaries in all their faintings and de­cays; [Page 181]such supplies of strength and life, as will revive their weak and weary spi­rits, as will recruit and renew their souls unto the holy War, in which they are engaged. The holy Scriptures are sin­cere milk, but the Promises are flos lactis, as one saith, the cream, the purest of all. There is a story of a fight between Her­cules and Terrae-filius, who sought to de­stroy each other: This Terrae-filius, when he was faint and weary, would cast himself down upon the Earth, and ha­ving lain a little while, recovered and was fresh for the combate, and so Overcame his Enemy, A humble reliance upon, a believing improvement of the Promises, is a singular way of renewing strength, a never-failing means of Victory over our Spiritual Adversaries. As God gives us in his word Line upon Line, Precept up­on Precept, so here he sets down Promise upon Promise for our encouragement, to go on fighting till he bring forth Judg­ment unto Victory. Five of those we have already spoken somthing to: Behold here another presented to our Conside­ration in this Text; It is firstly directed [Page 182]to the Church in Philadelphia, a City in Lydia, or in Mysia or Eolia, seated in a dangerous place, therefore not populous; yet a Church planted there, and very fa­mous. It is observed, that Smyrna and this Philadelphia, were the only Churches of all the seven, which Christ records no­thing against; as Laodicea was the only Church of the seven which he mentions nothing commendable in. Concerning this of Philadelphia, Christ gives testi­mony of the present good that was in her, vers. 8. I know thy works; thou hast kept my Word, and hast not denied my Name. By the word and name of Christ, we are to understand that whole Truth whereby God in Christ had revealed himself and his Will to his Church; Soundness of Do­ctrine, Purity of Worship, and Holiness of Conversation, were the things she held fast; After this, he gives her assu­rance, Goodness and Mercy should follow her, vers. 9.10. Behold, I will make them that are of the Synagogue of Satan to come and worship before thee, &c. I will make them reverence thee as one belov'd of me, I will both subdue thy disguised [Page 183]Adversaries, and preserve thee under all those trials which are coming upon the world. Then he proceeds to exhort unto duty, To Hold fast that, which she had; the word [...] signifies to hold strong­ly; put to thy utmost strength, and keep vigorously what thou hast. Many mo­tives he useth to perswade to this; as,

• 1. His intended speedy coming, Behold, I come quickly; whether he means in a way of trial, as he had intimated before, vers. 10. as some think; or in a way of mercy, to moderate the trial; or in a way of Judi­cature, to call to an account, and reward every man according to his works, as others, it is not material; for on every of these accounts, it is an excellent motive, and should prevail with Christians to hold fast the good they have.
• 2. Lest they lose their Crown; whether her present Crown, the honour this Church had got by keeping close to the Word & Worship of Christ hitherto; or the future Crown of life and glory in Heaven: the Argu­ment is powerful.
• 3. Christ useth further sweet Promises of high and glorious things to all that perseveringly overcome, [Page 184]in the Words of this Text: The sum of which take in this Doctrine,

Doct. Overcomers shall be made Pillars in the Temple of God, that shall go no more out, and excellent Names shall be written upon them, by Jesus Christ; For thus he himself promiseth to do, here in these words. To open this in two Branches.

Bran. 1. Christ will make Overcomers Pillars in his House that shall go no more out: Three things seem chiefly intended in this Promise, viz. Stability, Beauty, and Perpetuity.

1. Stability; This is promised in this Phrase, I will make him a Pillar in the Tem­ple of my God; It is by Expositors taken to be an Allusion to the Pillars that were erected in Solomons Temple; the one was called Jachin, which signifies he shall esta­blish; the other Boaz, that is in it is strength, 1 King. 7.21. Both amount to this, Firmness and Stability. Some think that the infinite Power of Christ is aimed at in these Pillars: it still confirms this matter; Overcomers shall be estab­lished in the House of God by the Power of Christ himself; Him will I make a Pil­lar, [Page 185]saies he in the Text. It is a great Favour to have a Nail in his Temple, a Name, a Room in his House and Fa­mily; though we be but weak Chil­dren, but bruised Reeds. To have Truth, though with much Infirmity and Weak­ness, is to be esteemed an inestimable Mercy; but to be Pillars there, is a spe­cial Priviledge: To be settled and roo­ted, confirmed and established there, is a very desirable Blessing and very great Honour. Such Honour is here made the Portion of Overcomers.

We read of Jacob setting up a Pillar of Stone, Gen. 35. and of the Promise of God to Jeremiah, (being to go on his Errand to a furious and opposing Peo­ple, and the Prophet timerous) I will make thee an Iron Pillar, Jer. 1.18. Stone and Iron both are very strong. To be a Living Stone in God's House is a great Mercy; but to be a Pillar of Stone, or of Iron, notes Spiritual and Divine Strength given to such, that they stand firm and upright, and are Instrumental to bear up the Name, Truth and Interest of God in the world. [Page 186]Hence is the Church stiled, The pillar and ground of Truth, 1 Tim. 3.15. Not as if the Church were the Foundation of the Truth, as the Papists say; (for indeed the Truth is the Foundation of the Church: That's the t [...]ue Church which is built upon the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, (not upon their Persons, but upon their Doctrines) Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner Stone, Ephes. 2.20.) But as the Pillar Bears up the King's Proclamation, that it may be visible and legible, so is the Church the Pillar of Truth; it holds forth the Truth of God to the view of all that will be­hold it: And keeps up the Doctrine, and Worship of the Gospel from falling; or else in an ordinary way Truth would be born down by Errour, and Purity of Administration in Divine Worship would be cast down by Idolatrous and Superstitious Innovations. It is a great Mercy, when there are Breaches and Di­visions in a Land, to heal them by just Government: And when Righteousness is falling, and Equity can scarce enter in a Nation, but all through Injustice and [Page 187]Oppression ready to run to ruine and confusion, To bear up the Pillars of the Earth, even when it and its Inhabitants are dissolved, as David did, Psal. 75.3. And it is no less Favour to be settled Pillars in the Temple of God, to keep up and to maintain his Interest in the world. We read that Absolom in his life time reared up for himself a Pillar, having no Son, to keep his Name in remembrance, 2 Sam. 18.18. God rears up to himself Spiritual Pillars to keep up the Memo­rial of his Name in the world, which else would soon be forgotten among men. And how great the Blessing is to be such a Pillar, who can declare? In­stability darkens a mans excellency; Ʋnstable as water, thou shalt not excel, was Jacob's saying to Reuben, Gen. 49.4. Water is easily moved by the Wind every way; He being thus unsettled, did not excel, either in the number of his Tribe, or Valour, or any excellent Atchievement. To be a Reed shaken with every wind of Doctrine, is disho­nourable. To seem to be Pillars, as Pe­ter did, and yet not to walk▪ with a [Page 188]right foot, as he is charged to do, Gal. 2.9, 14. is very unbecoming: But to be so indeed, to be fixt and grounded in the Faith and Order of the Gospel, to be rooted and confirmed in the Temple of God, is a Mercy promised only To him that Overcometh; to shew in what esteem such are with Christ.

2. Beauty is here also signified in this Expression: Pillars are not only the Fir­mament, (as I may say) but the Orna­ment; not the Strength only, but the Glory of a Building; especially in such large and long Structures, where there are many, and rows of them, as in the Temple, 1 King. 7, 3. So then the sense is, Overcomers shall be made by Christ the Glory of his Church, the Beauty of his Temple. In the Chariot Solomon made for himself, the Pillars were of Silver, Cant. 3.10. Some take it for the Graces of the Spirit of God; others understand it of the Ministers of the Church, named Pillars in Galat. 2. fore-mentioned: Others to note those of eminency in the Church, who labour to uphold and support the truth of Christ [Page 189]therein, to be the Silver Pillars, to be the Beauty of the Church; yea, the Glory of Christ, as some are said to be, 2 Cor. 8.23. Silver when purified is very beautiful; Victorious Christians are Silver Pillars, an excellent glory in the Temple of God. Wisdome hath builded her House, she hath hewen her out seven Pillars, Prov. 9.1, 2. Christ is here meant by Wisdome; And though some take the House he hath built, to be the World, and it is a truth, that Christ built this great House and Fabrick of the Universe, Heb. 3.4. Yet most carry it to be the Church, that Spiritual House which he is here said to build. But what the seven Pillars are, is not agreed on: Some take the Seven Liberal Arts to be they; Others, the seven Days of the Week; Others, the seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost, mentioned Isa. 11.2. And some, (which is to the matter now before us) for a competent number of Faithful Persons, who by their stedfast adhering to Christ and his Truth, not only support, but adorn and beautifie his Church. As those who through [Page 190]Cowardise and slavish Fear yield to the Enemy, are a Disgrace and Disparage­ment; so they that are firm and stable, are an Ornament to the Temple of God.

3. Perpetuity and Constancy is here also promised to Overcomers; for Christ engageth to make such Pillars, that shall go no more out of his Temple. Some take this to be spoken to anticipate the fears that might arise in their hearts, and trou­ble them. The Prophet Jeremiah tells us, That the Pillars of that famous Tem­ple of old were broken down, and the Brass of them carried away to Babylon by the Caldeans, Jer. 51.17. Hence fears might arise in some, that notwithstan­ding their present Settlement, they might afterward be utterly cast out of God's House. To prevent all such Jealousies of After-Apostacies, he assures them, They shall go no more out. It's true, those that only seem to be Pillars and are not sincere in the main, may, and will break and be utterly cast down; as Judas, Demas, Julian, and many others were: But these were rotten Posts, not [Page 191]real Pillars, and therefore were easily broken when the burden of Temptation was laid upon them: Hypocrisie will end in Apostacy. They went out from us, because they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us; but they went out from us, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us, saies the Apostle, 1 Joh. 2.19. Here we see, Many are in the Visible Church, who are not of the Church Mystical; and these will manifest themselves, at one time or other, what they are. Some were troubled to see so many forsake the Church, but he would not have them marvel at it; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: They were not right and sound; if they had, they would never have done so. They now discover they were none of us, and so are the better avoided: We lose nothing by their departure. The Corn loseth nothing when the Chaff is gone, but is the purer; nor the Body when bad Humours are worn away, but is the more sound and healthful; but yet [Page 192]every one that is upright shall so far overcome, as to continue his station in the Mystical Body of Christ. A true Believer may be so far worsted in a par­ticular Combat, as to be cast out of the Church by a Sentence of Excommunica­tion, and that deservedly; which was the case of the Incestuous Corinthian, 1 Cor. 5. Yet was not he totally and finally overcome by the Enemy, but was recovered by Repentance, and re­stored to the Communion of the Church again, and went no more out. Judas went out, and Demas forsook the Truth and Servants of Christ; but we find nothing of their Recovery, and rising again by Godly Sorrow. Where there is no Root, there is no lasting Fruit; some hasty Blossoms, but they are soon nipt and quickly fall off. They are true sincere Christians, that are perse­vering to the end; Sampson pulled down the Pillars of Dagon's Temple, and the house fell, and all therein were slain, Judg. 16.29. But all the Powers of Earth and Hell combin'd shall not be able to destroy the Temple of God, nor utterly [Page 193]break one Pillar thereof. God gave his People charge to break down the Pillars that the Idolaters had set up, Deut. 12.5. But Believers are Pillars of God's setting up, and none shall destroy any one of them. 'Tis true, if left to themselves, they are like to Sampson, when God was departed from him; but as others, easily conquered by the assaults of their Ene­mies; as Peter resolved to be more firm and constant than all men, Though all forsake thee, yet will not I, saies he; Yet how easily and quickly was he over­come to deny his Lord and Master? But being upheld by the stronger Pillars of God's Almghty Power, and immutable Covenant, they are not so totally routed and vanquished as never to recover; but are renewed in their Life and Strength as Peter was: And as a Bone that hath been broken and once well set again is stronger than ever, so they gather strength by their Falls, and are confir­med in the truth and ways of God unto the end. This is the first thing here promised to Overcomers. The Second follows.

Bran. 2. Christ will give to such, not only to be Pillars in his Temple, but excellent Names shall be by him written upon them. The Pillars in Solomon's Temple had very significant Names en­graven upon them, but these here pro­mised are much more excellent. The Text mentions three; I will write upon him, saith Christ, the Name of my God, and the Name of the City of my God, and my new Name. Of these briefly:

1. Christ will write upon the Over­comer the Name of his God. Some carry the sense thus; He shall be ac­knowledged to belong unto God: As things written upon Pillars are made visible and legible to all; or as things openly marked, declare their Title, and shew whose they are; So Christ will set Marks and Characters of God's Image upon them that are Victorious, such as shall extort and force this acknowledg­ment even from their very Enemies, who will he convinced in their Con­sciences, and clearly see that they are the Servants and People of God. When Professors are overcome by their Cor­ruptions, [Page 195]Pride, Worldliness, Passion, Uncharitableness, Injustice and Unrigh­teousness in their dealings, Unfaithful­ness in their words and promises, then the world writes other Names upon them; then they are called Hypocrites, Dissemblers, Formalists, a people that make Religion but a cover for Vice, a cloak for Covetousness and for Malicious­ness; seem better, but are worse than mere civil and moral men. O, say they, we had rather trust or deal with just honest men, though they make not such shews of Religion, than with many great Professors, who for a pretence make long Prayers as the Pharisees did, but none more unjust and false than they; they will say or do almost any thing to wrong and defraud another, to over-reach and go beyond another: Oh! that these things were not too justly and truly spoken of too many that are cal­led Christians, and Church-Members, Pudet haec opprobria nobis: On the con­trary, when any get Victory over these Epidemical Evils, and manifest it by a constant acting in a contradiction to such [Page 196]sinful waies, then men will say, Ay, these are the people of God indeed; if there be any Saints upon Earth, these are such; If all Professors were such as these, we would be among them our selves. Oh! how de­sirable is it to see the day come, that is prophesied of, Isa. 60.14. when all they that have afflicted and despised the people of God, shall bow themselves down at the soles of their feet, and call them the City of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel; They are Overcomers that must hasten the fulfilling of this: That which God promised, to put his Name in Solo­mon's Temple, 1 Kings 8. is made good to them, Christ will write his Fathers Name on their Foreheads.

He also promiseth to write upon him the Name of the City of his God, even the new Jerusalem, which cometh down from God out of Heaven. There is a threefold Jerusalem; Terrestrial, Cele­stial, and Mystical.

• 1. The terrestrial, or earthly Jerusalem, called the City of David; The City of the great King, &c. Isa. 22.4. Psal. 48.2. This City was once one of the Wonders of the World; [Page 197]as the Gold among the Metals, so was Jerusalem among the Cities. Here the famous Temple was built; here was the Ark of the Testimony, and the Ta­bles of the Covenant; the sacred Vest­ments the Priests wore: and it was the Seat of the great King, even God dwelt there. In Salem (that is, Jerusalem) was his Tabernacle, and his Dwelling-place in Sion, Psal. 76.1, 2.
• 2. There is the Ce­lestial, or Heavenly Jerusalem, called a City, God hath prepared for Believers a City, Heb. 11.16. Of this some under­stand that, Psal. 87.3. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O thou City of God.
• 3. There is the Mystical Jerusalem, which is the whole company of Believers here, this is the City set upon a Hill, Mat. 5.14. and it is called The City of the Living God, the Heavenly Jerusalem, Heb. 12.22. in regard of the Original of it, and by Right of Inheritance, as a Learned man speaks.

This is said to come down from God out of Heaven, because the Power and Mercy of God shall signally appear in building his Church, and making it glorious in the World. The two latter [Page 198]may be taken in here, though some wholly carry it to the last. The sum is, Overcomers shall be enrolled as free Denison and Citizens of the New Jeru­salem, No more to be Forreiners and Stran­gers, but Fellow Citizens with the Saints, and of the Houshold of God, Ephes. 2.19. Even here on Earth their City is in Heaven, as is said, Phil. 3.20. Our Con­versation, our [...], our City-con­verse and Behaviour is above. Some ac­count it much to be Free of such a City as London is, to have free Liberty to trade therein. O what a Favour is it then to have liberty of Access to the great God of Heaven! To drive a free and full Trade Heaven-ward! to be Spiritual Merchants, who deal for good­ly Pearls of great price! This is better than the Merchandise of Silver, and the gain of those things than fine Gold; They are more precious than Rubies, and all we can desire are not to be compared with them, as Solomon speaks, Prov. 3.15, 16. And after all, you shall be taken up into the Celestial Jerusalem; You that have been Fellow-Soldiers here, and [Page 199]Overcome, shall be Fellow-Citizens there and Triumph: And though it will be a very glorious state, he will bring his conquering Church into here, yet Hea­ven will be Heaven when all is done. Notwithstanding this, the state here promised, that they shall trade freely Heaven-ward, and be helped to order their Lives here as Citizens of Heaven, is an inestimable Priviledg. To have their Hearts in Heaven, their Discourses of Heaven, (as the Primitive Christians had the Kingdom so much in their mouths, that their Enemies were jea­lous they had evil Designs against the Civil Government; but it was the Hea­venly Kingdom they talked of) their daily recourses to Heaven, their being Heavenly in earthly things, their desires to be in Heaven, and the like, shew that Christ hath written this Name upon them, that these are the Citizens of the New Jerusalem, so that he that runs may read it. This is the most sublime and noble state, the most pleasant and delightful, the most profitable to per­fect Divine Discoveries, to strengthen [Page 200]their Graces, to encrease their Com­forts; this is the most safe estate for prevention of Temptations: because hereby their Souls are taken up with high things, and not so apt to be taken in Satans snare; as the Bird that mounts aloft, is not in danger to be caught in the Fowler's Net. And in a word, It is the most suitable estate, for they look to go to Heaven when they dye, and expect a Saviour from Heaven at the last Day. Almost all they have of any worth is there already: Their Names are written in Heaven, their Treasure is in Heaven, their chief Relations are in Heaven, their Inheritance is in Hea­ven; and therefore to have a way and course of Life here, that is becoming a Citizen of that City, must needs be a choice and precious Mercy; and this is here promised to him that Overcomes.

3. Christ further promiseth to such, That he will write upon them his new Name. Some understand it of the Ho­nour they shall share in with Christ; When he had overcome, God gave him a Name above every name, the name [Page 201]of a King and Conquerour: So Over­comers shall be made Kings and Priests unto God, and shall reign on the Earth, Phil. 2.9. Rev. 1.6. Others take it to be meant of Adoption and Regenera­tion: But of this I have spoken in a former Sermon, A new Name written in the white Stone, Rev. 2.17. I come to the Ʋse of this to our selves.

Ʋse 1. See here the different estate of Believers and Unbelievers, of them that Overcome, and of them that are Overcome by the Enemy: Unbelievers have no part, no lot in these Promises. They may be in the Temple of God, and seeming Pillars there, but they will not continue long, but either go out, or be cast out for ever; none of the pro­mised Names shall be written on them, but Names of Contempt and Reproach. Believers shall have the Stability, Beau­ty and Perpetuity, and all the excellent Names here set down. O the Misery of the one! O the Felicity of the o­ther! Who would be an Unbeliever still? What should discourage Believers?

Ʋse 2. Let us all then strive for the Vi­ctory. [Page 202]If a man strive for Mastery, he is not crowned, except he strive lawfully, saith St. Paul, 1 Cor. 9. 2 Tim. 2.5. and therefore much less they that strive not at all. To move us unto Courage in this War, many things might be urged; Consider,

• 1. the Justness of the Cause: Though Soldiers be never so strong and well furnished, yet if their Consciences tell them they fight in a bad Quarrel, it will abate their Valour, and make them timerous. But our Cause is most just, and our War lawful; for God who is Justice it self, hath proclaimed it by his Heraulds the Apostles; saying, Fight the good fight of Faith; Endure hardship as good Souldiers of Jesus Christ; Put on the whole Armour of God, that ye may be able to stand and withstand in the evil day; Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you, 2 Tim. 6.12. 2 Tim. 2. E­phes. 6.10, 11. Jam. 4.7. Besides, the Glory of God and the Salvation of our Souls lye at the stake; our Enemies De­sign is to dishonour God, and to destroy us: And can there be a Cause of greater Importance? If we would not treache­rously [Page 203]betray these by our Sloathfulness and Cowardice into the hands of our Enemies, let us enter the field, and never cease our couragious fight, till we have obtained a full Victory.
• 2. The Ene­mies at this day are full of Rage and Wrath, and a time of great Trial seems to be at hand; terrible shakings there are already upon us: Philadelphia is war­ned of an hour of Trial, which was the Persecution under Trajan the Emperour, as Expositors judge. Some write that Philadelphia was, Terrae motibus concussa, often shaken with Earthquakes; what­ever of these proper natural Earthquakes as a City she was liable to, she was, as a Church, shaken by the violent Assaults of enemies. And it is the judgment of many Learned and Godly Men, that an Hour of Temptation is drawing on upon the present Reformed Churches of Christ in Europe, wherein they are like to be ex­tremely shaken. Satan's rage and wrath he is come down in, is very great; and his great Agent, the Beast, spoken of, Rev. 13. is very powerful, and his Wor­shippers begin to boast and make Chal­lenges, [Page 204]saying, Who is like unto the Beast? Who is able to make war with him? We have heard of the Prophecy of the late Reverend Bishop Ʋher, and what pro­bability there is of its accomplishment, any one may see by the present dark Providences going over us; which if God shall order to come to pass, O what terrible shakings will there be! Not the Earth only, but the Heavens will be shaken. The Pillars of the Earth are the Lords, saies Hannah, and he hath set the world upon them, 1 Sam. 2.8. Yet we read, that the Pillars of Heaven and Earth tremble, Job 9.6. and 26.11. By the Pillars of Heaven, some understand the Angels; by the Pillars of the Earth, Political Pillars, Kings and Princes; and Ecclesiastical Pillars, such as Peter and John were. Whether they be State-Pillars or Church-Pillars, if Antichrist once again prevail over us, they will be terribly shaken; Men and Angels will be filled with Amazement and Astonish­ment at the Providences of God. I have read of one Simeon, who is said to have been Prophetical, that he passing through [Page 205]a Temple, spake to the material Pillars, and Prophecying of an Earthquake, bid them Stand fast, for they should shortly be shaken. Things work in our days so strangely, as without a Spirit of Pro­phecy, I may say, to all the Churches of Christ, to all that seem Pillars in the Temple of God, Stand fast, for you shall shortly be shaken; God will arise sud­denly to shake terribly the Earth: Stand sure therefore, that ye be not worsted and overcome by the Adversary.
• 3. Con­sider the Honour and Profit that will accompany this Victory, if ye get it: Great is the Reward laid up in all these Promses; Everlasting Honour and Re­compence will be the portion of all such. Brevis est labor, as one saith, praemium vero aeternum. Earthly Soldiers will purchase Honour, and get their Pay with the hazard of Life; the Commen­dation of their Captain, the Applause of People, or a little Money will make them courageous: What hazard then! Should not we run in fighting this good fight? who shall have the commenda­tion of Christ, the Captain of our Sal­vation, [Page 206]and the Praise of the blessed Angels, who observe and look upon us, how we quit our selves in this holy War? If it were only the present Profit and Benefit which will accrue to us, it should move us to fight, how terrible soever it seems to flesh and blood: For that is truely here verified, Pax Belli filia, Peace is the Daughter of War. We no sooner enter the field to fight against these Enemies, but presently we have Peace with God, and Peace of Consci­ence; if not the sense, yet the ground of it. What then should the receiving of a Heavenly Kingdom move us to do? Satans pay to his Soldiers is but the Pleasures of Sin for a Season; the Honour and Profit of the world for a moment; and in the end everlasting de­struction both of Body and Soul. Where­as they who keep close to Christ's Stan­dard, and overcome the Enemy, besides what they have here, shall be filled with such Rewards and Joys, as Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, nor Heart of man can conceive.

Lastly, We have sure grounds of Victory, for our Ene­mies [Page 207]are already overcome to our hand; Christ hath cooled their Courage, and abated their Strength: And he that calls us to the Fight, will help us to Over­come; Deficientes sublevat, & vincentes coronat; When we faint he sustains us, and crowns us when we overcome.

Besides, God gives us to see the end from the beginning; He shewed David the Victory before-hand, This uncircum­cised Philistine, saies he, shall be as one of them, meaning the Lion and Bear he had slain, 1 Sam. 17.36. We may say, as the Church of old, Rejoyce not against me, O mine Enemy, for though I fall, yet I shall rise again. She that is mine Enemy shall see it: shame shall cover her that said unto me, Where is the Lord thy God? Mine eyes shall behold her, now shall she be trodden down as the Mire in the Streets, Mic. 7.8, 10. Behold Earth's Triumph in the midst of the Enemies Insultations; to see this before-hand is ground of hope of Victory. Further, every piece of Armour speaks them Conquerors; It is the Armour of God, the Armour of Righteousness, and secures on the [Page 208]right hand and on the left. Though Saul's Armour was too cumbersome for David, yet this is fitted and suited ex­actly to all that rightly take it to them­selves. Their Girdle and Helmet of great Strength and Purity; Their Breast-plate such as secures the Vitals of Godliness and Religion; Their Shoes impenetra­ble, though the way be strewed with Thorns and sharp Stones; Their Sword better than Goliah's, and it may be said of it most truely, There is none like it; Their Shield better than the Shields of the Mighty, quenching all the fiery Darts the Enemy can throw upon them. Moreover, Whatever fights against us, fight for us? All these things are against me, saies Jacob, Gen. 42.32. yet found all for him; whatever resists Believers in a Conflict, doth encourage them: Their former and present Trials beget future Trust; Their former Assaults are their after Experiences. By these they learn how to ward off such a Blow, how to evade such a Snare and Stratagem, how to withstand such a Temptation; and to add no more, In their Inability [Page 209]lies their Ability; out of weakness they are made strong, and wax valiant in fight, as they of old, Heb. 11.34. Many are valiant to fight at first, but to grow strongest at the last piece of Service, to so say as St. Paul, When I am weak, then am I strong; this is encouraging indeed. These and other grounds of Victory Be­lievers have; let all such stand and with­stand in the evil day, for you shall cer­tainly overcome at last. Assurance of Victory will make a Coward fight stoutly and courageously. O let not your hands be weakned, or your hearts faint and fail, seeing you are sure to pre­vail. There is a notable Speech of Charles the Fifth, who (venturing into apparent danger in War, was disswaded from hazarding himself, [...]est if he were killed, the whole Army should be rou­ted and broken) said, An Emperour was never shot through with a Bullet. Let the hearts and hands of Believers be strength­ned by this. A true Believer was never totally and finally overcome by the E­nemies of his Soul; but though foiled, and his Weapons beaten out of his hand, [Page 210]yet recovers and stands when they are fallen and destroyed: Only be strong and of a good courage, put forth your ut­most endeavours to overcome. Qui creavit te sine te, non servabit te sine te, was the Saying of an Antient. It is not Armour in the Magazine, but put on and well used, that defends us and offends our Enemies.

This Church of Philadelphia had but a little strength, yet improving it well kept Christ's word, and denied not his Name; For to him that hath, shall be gi­ven. If a man hath Faith in the Habit only, though it were as strong as Abra­ham's, yet it will do little towards a Victory: but Faith, though but as a grain of Mustard-seed, yet in lively exercise will do wonders. Hence it is, a strong Believer that suffers sloth and security to grow upon him, will fall before the Enemy; when the weak Christian, improving his little Strength, shall be victorious and get the better of him. If any object, we find the Ene­my too strong for us, as the Sons of Zeruiah were too strong for David; so [Page 211]may some say, The evil Heart within, Satan and the World without are too hard for me, I shall never overcome, I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul, by the Policy and Power of my Adver­saries. Let such look to their Captain for fresh Auxiliaries, and fear not; God gave St. Paul, and will thee, Victory; not for, or by thine own Endeavours, though they must be used, but through Jesus Christ. Particularly,

• 1. Through the Strength of Christ: I can do all things, and suffer all things too, saith the Apostle, through Christ that strengthneth me, Phil. 4.13. A Christian in Christ walks up and down the world like a Conquerour; but without him they can do nothing, John 15.5.
• 2. Through the Blood and Cross of Christ. 'Tis said that when Constantine was going to fight against his Enemies, the Sign of the Cross appeared to him, with these words written upon it, By this shalt thou Overcome. I know no Vertue to be in the Sign of the Cross; but I read the Saints overcame the Dragon by the Blood of the Cross, that Blood of the [Page 212]Lamb shed upon the Cross; Christ's Blood is Sin-conquering, Satan-subdu­ing, and World-overcoming Blood.
• 3. Through the Word of Christ. The Apostle saith, That Young men having the Word of God abiding in them, overcome the wicked One, 1 Joh. 2.14. Young Saints by this applied and improved, o­vercome old Adam; yea, that old Ser­pent the Devil.
• 4. By the Love of Christ. Believers are said to be more than Conquerours, through him that loved them, Rom. 8.37. Many waters cannot quench the flame of this Love, nor the floods drown the sense of it: Love is strong as Death, and Death overcomes all, none can stand before it.
• 5. By the Victory of Christ; Hence he doth cheer up the hearts of his troubled Disciples, ready to faint at the consideration of his Departure from them, and the Hatred of the world against them; Be of good comfort, I have overcome the world. This he did as a publick Person, for himself, and for his Church, and every Mem­ber of it. When Satan conquered the first Adam, he overcame all Mankind, [Page 213]all being in him their Head and Repre­sentative So all in Christ, the second Adam, do and shall Overcome by his victory. Therefore be of good cheer, I have over­come the world; As if he had said, My Victory is yours, and for you: else if they had no Interest in it, what support could this give to them? Well then, Let all that are of a fearful heart, be per­swaded to fight, as if they had no Cap­tain, no Christ; yet to rely on the Strength, Blood, Word, Love and Vi­ctory of Christ, as if they had not struck a stroke; so shall they certainly Overcome their Enemies, and enjoy the good of these Promises.

THis is the last, though not the least, of those Seven Promises made to Overcomers in this and the former Chapter. It is directed to the Angel of the Church of Laodicea, vers. 14. This Angel some think was Archippus, who had declined from his first life and activity in the work of the Ministry; Hence the Apostle Paul bad some say to Archippus, Take heed to thy self, and to thy ministry that thou hast [Page 215]received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it, Col. 4.17. Laodicea was a City nigh to the Collo­sians, and the Church planted there seems more corrupt than any of the other: In some there is much commended, and something reprehended; In others no­thing reproved, but much commended: Here much reproved, nothing of com­mendation. The sum of the Epistle is to discover her Sins, and perswade to repentance: The sins were two,

• 1. A detestable neutrality in their Christian profession, at the 15 verse, Thou art nei­ther cold nor hot; as if he had said, thou art indifferently affected, neither eager for the truth, nor an open Enemy to it; Neither a zealous professor, nor a pro­fessed Enemy to Religion; but a neuter, halting betwen two, as they, 1 Kings 18.21.
• 2. Pride and self-conceit, in the 17 verse, Thou sayest I am rich, and encreased with goods, and have need of nothing, &c. as if he had said, Thou dost boast as if thou wert rich in all manner of spiritual Grace, that nothing need be added to that perfection thou hast attained, when thou vauntest thus, being ignorant of thine own lamen­table [Page 216]state, not knowing that thou art poor, and beggarly; yet poor and proud like a beggar boasting of wealth; so true of her was that of Solomon, There is that maketh himself rich, and yet hath nothing, Prov. 13.7.

And some think that the reason why no fault was mentioned in some Churches, was not because there was no imperfection in them, but to shew how much the Lord favoureth humble modesty; and nothing commended in Laodicea, not because there was nothing good among them, but to shew how much the Lord disliketh a luke-warm tem­per, and a proud vain-glorious disposi­tion. These were her sins; Now Christ perswades to repentance by many argu­ments.

• 1. From his own Omniscience, verse 15. I know thy works, that thou art neither hot nor cold; as if he had said, though thou beest careless, yet I care; though thou takest no notice, yet I do; I observe what temper thou art of, and how doubly thou dealest by me.
• 2. By an argument drawn from the loathsomness of this sin, verse 16. Because thou art neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth: [Page 217]Though they might think it were no­thing to deal thus deceitfully with God, they might account it a piece of wis­dom to be thus moderate, as some call it; But I have other thoughts of it, it is a filthy abominable sin, I will spue thee out of my mouth for it, if thou beest not zealous and repent: a plain expression, intimating the loathsomness of it; as we spit at that which is loathsom to our Sto­mach, so does the Lord by this declare how much he abhors this sin in our Reli­gion.
• 3. From the present inconveni­ence it brought upon her; verse 17. It brings them into a miserable condition; They had a seeming shew to be rich, and wife, and happy, and full, when they were poor, and blind, and wretched, and naked. A shew of Religion makes men think they are in a good estate, and want nothing; but because it is but a shew, they are in­deed the more indigent and necessitous.
• 4. From the riches of his own Grace, verse 18. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou maist be rich, &c. Would men come off in good earnest to Jesus Christ, and cleave to him in faith­fulness [Page 218]they need not make such poor shifts as they do; they need not make such formal counterfeit shews as they do: to bear up their heads in the world, he would enrich them to purpose; they need not be ashamed to walk in the midst of their Enemies who wait to see their shame, he would cloath them effectually:
• 5. From an insinuating motion; if they will not, he must take another course with them: if they will not come home willingly, he must fetch them home with a rod; As many as I love, I rebuke and cha­sten, be zealous therefore and repent, ver. 19. as if he had said, if there be no other re­medy, though he dearly loved them, yet he must rebuke and chasten them; there­fore as they would avoid this chastise­ment, let them be more zealous.
• 6. From his own importunity, the longing desire he had to do good to their Souls; Behold I stand at the door and knock, &c. vers. 20. as if he had said, How fain would I bless your Souls with real blessings? How fain would I make over my grace and love to you, but you deprive your selves of it by your Hypocrisy, and Neutrality? Behold, [Page 219]I come once more to your doors, and stand and knock, if any man will open to me, I will come in, and sup with him, and he with me.
• 7. From the great honour and dignity he would raise those up to that overcome these predominant evils: This is laid down in the Text; the sum of which take in this proposition.

Doct. That as Christ overcame, and sate down with his Father on his Throne; so all Overcomers shall fit down with Christ in his Throne. Here are three parts,

• 1. That Christ overcame.
• 2. Having so done, he sate down in his Fathers Throne.
• 3. All Overcomers shall sit down with him on his Throne.

Bra. 1. Christ overcame; It is he that speaks these words in the Text, I overcame. All he encountred with, he got Victory over. He grapled with Satan and overcame him; He ouercame him, says the Scripture, that had the power of death, that is, the Devil, Heb. 2.14. This Seed of the Woman hath broke that Ser­pents head, Gen. 3.15. The head is the place of policy in man, of power in o­ther creatures. Christ hath got all the [Page 220]power and policy of Satan, and crushed it under his feet. The Apostle saith, Colos. 2.14. He spoiled Principalities and Powers; That is, the whole Host of Hell, with all their train of Attillery were ut­terly divested of all their destroying power; He overcame sin; coming in the likeness of sinful flesh, condemned sin in the flesh, Rom. 8.3. so that it cannot condemn any in Christ, Rom. 8.1. He overcame them by bearing them away, as the word signifies, 1 Pet. 2.24. An allusion to the ceremony of the Scape-goat, over whose head were confessed the sins of the Chil­dren of Israel, and the Goat let go into the Wilderness, Levit. 16.21, 22. This shadowed Christ upon whom God laid the iniquities of all his people, who so bare them as to bear them away. One sin sunk the Angels that kept not their first estate into their present misery, and they can never overcome it; yet Christ hath subdued all the iniquities of his people, and cast them into the depth of the Sea, Mich. 7.19. He overcame the world; I have overcome the world, says he, John 16 33. He overcame the good things of the [Page 221]world by being dead to them; when they sought to make him a King, he withdrew himself. He overcame the e­vil things thereof by the invincible cou­rage and patience of his life, for he meek­ly endured the contradictions of sinners against himself: and by the victorious power of his death, when he seemed to be overcome, but did never conquer more eminently than by it and the consequen­ces of it. He hath overcome the justice and wrath of God, by giving satisfaction; out of Christ it hath a dreadful quarrel and implacable controversy; and Belie­vers are often under fears of these, but Christs blood hath made it their friend: In Christ God sits with a Rainbow round a­bout his Throne, Rev. 4.3. When God smelt a sweet savour of rest from Noahs Sacrifice, he promised never to drown the world again; and as a token he would be mindful of his Covenant, he put his Rain-bow in the Clouds: So in Christ there is a Rain-bow about Gods Throne; his Bench of Judicature is turned into a Throne of Grace. Christ overcame the. Law by fulfilling it; He obeyed the pre­cepts [Page 222]of it; Though he was the Law­maker, yet he was made under the Law, Gal. 4. He was circumcised and so be­came a debtor to do the whole Law, which he perfectly fulfilled, and is in that sense the end of the Law for righteous­ness to every one that believeth, Rom. 10.4. He endured the penalties of it also, by submitting to the curse of it, Gal. 3.13. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us. To be under the Law is a state full of danger and terror; Believers many times fear it will put in a black bill of indictment a­gainst them; but Christs blood hath blot­ted out the hand-writings against them: They are not under the Law as to its en­venomed curses, and intollerable penal­ties. The Law it self to every true Be­liever, is non-suited, as one faith well, by the death of the Law-maker: He over­came also death and the grave; Not so destroyed it that Believers shall not dye; but unstinged it, that it shall not destroy eternally. Hence the Apostles triumphant [...], O death where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Thanks be to [Page 223]God which giveth us the victory through Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 15.55, 57. When a Bee hath fastned her sting in a mans flesh and so lost it, she ever after (they say) turns a Drone. Death once fastned its sting in Christ who overcame the venom of it, and ever since it hath been like a Drone; it may hum and affright, but not really hurt a true Believer. Death is ve­ry strong, it overcomes the mighty Mo­narchs and Potentates of the Earth, and and none can stand before it; yet Christ overcame it even upon its own ground; It got him into the prison of the grave, but could not keep him there, it was not possible for him to be holden by it, Acts 2.24. And though it is the last Enemy that shall be destroyed, yet Death shall he swal­lowed up of Victory, 1 Cor. 15.26.54. Thus we see, that Christ overcame the Ene­mies, either by reconciling them, or dis­arming them; either by making them friends, or leaving them impotent Ene­mies.

Bra. 2. After he had thus overcome, he sate down with his Father in his Throne; The Text is express for it: This is vari­ously [Page 224]expressed in the Scripture; He is sometimes said to sit at the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens, Heb. 8.1. Sometimes to sit on the right hand of God, Mark 16. All amounts to the same pur­pose. Four things are implied in it:

1. It notes Dignity: Superiors sit, when Inferiors stand; The ancient of days, is said, to sit, Dan. 7.9. And God is described sit­ting upon a Throne, Rev. 7.15. Thus Christ sate down in his Fathers Throne, that is, he was advanced to great honour: The Angels never arrived to such honour; To which of all the Angels did God ever say, sit thou on my right hand? Heb. 1.13 .The very interrogation implies a negation, he never spake thus to any of them. It was great honour Solomon did his Mother, to cause her to sit down at his right hand, 1 Kings 2.19. But Christ is raised to greater Digni­ty; for the Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, till thine Enemies be made thy foot-stool, Ps. 110.1. To such a height of honour is he advanced, that God hath charged all the Angels to worship him, Heb. 1.6. At first made lower than the Angels, now above them.

2. It imports Authority: Thou satest in the Throne judging right, says the Psalmist, Psal. 9.4. Thus God hath highly exalted Christ to be the judge of all the world; A throne he shall have in the Clouds, and he that once came to be judged, shall come the second time to judge: The Fa­ther judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son, that all men should honour the Son, as they honour the Father, John 5.22, 23. And to shew his Autho­rity, 'tis said, to him every knee shall bow, Phil. 2. All things in Heaven, in Earth, and under the Earth, that is, An­gels, Men, and Devils are subject to the Name and Authority of the Lord Jesus: And every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Fa­ther, Phil. 2.8, 9, 10. The Devils and wicked men shall at last be forced to ac­knowledg the Authority of Christ, and to say as Julian the Apostate did, Vicisti Galilee, O Galilean, thou hast overcome me; and all Saints and holy Angels shall with one consent acknowledg and own him as the Lord, and as their Lord; And all this to the glory of God the Father, [Page 226]which [...], though it signifies the great end of Christ's exaltation, viz. the glory of God, yet some understand by it, that Jesus Christ is exalted to the same Authority and Glory with the Father in Heaven, being now set down with him in his Throne, at his right hand.

3. It implies a settled continuance of Christ in this Honour and Authority; 'Tis said that Josephs Bow abode, or as some read, sate in strength, Gen. 49.24. As standing is a posture that shews a man ready to go this way or that way, so a sedentary gesture notes continuance or a­biding: Though man being in honour continued not, Psal. 49. ult. Adam be­ing in honour lodged not; whence some conjecture, Adam fell in the very day he was created; And though our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding, 1 Chron. 29.15. Yet the se­cond Adam abides and continues in the Fathers Throne for ever.

4. It signifies Christ's resting from all his Travels, Labours, Services, and Suffer­ings: As after much Labour a man sits down and resteth himself, even so Christ [Page 227]having finished the work his Father gave him to do, a cessation from all trouble­some Labours followed, and he shall know them no more. After Gods works of Creation were finished, he rested on the seventh day, Gen. 2.2. Thus also, when Christ had accomplished the works put into his hand, He entred into rest, and cea­sed from his own works, as God did from his, Heb. 4.10. Some carry these words of Believers, they are ceased from sins, who are entred into heavenly rest; others, that Believers are ceased from all suffer­ings and sorrows, being once in glory; All this is true, yet some take it for Christ his Rest from all his labours and troubles; Though here he was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, yet being ex­alted to sit with his Father in his Throne, is ceased from these for ever.

Bran. 3. Overcomers shall sit down with Christ on his Throne; so saith the Text; An allusion, say some, to the practice of those Eastern Kings, whose Thrones were made large and capacious after the man­ner of a Couch; so that besides the Kings place, others whom the King would ho­nour [Page 228]might sit down with him in the same Throne: what this Throne of Christ is, there are various conjectures; The Kingdom of Grace say some; we are made Kings and Priests, and reign on the Earth, Rev. 5.10. That is, have Dominion o­ver Sin, Satan, and the World; But this is Christ sitting on the Throne of our Con­sciences, rather than our sitting with Christ in his Throne, say others, who therefore will have it meant of his Throne in Heaven: But there Christ hath no Kingdom distinct from the Father, for having once ended that great transaction of the last judgment, he shall deliver up the Kingdom to his Father, and God shall be all in all, Cor. 15.24.28. Not that then Christ shall lay aside his humane nature, as some have thought; but that his pre­sent mediatory Kingdom shall give place to the essential Kingdom of the God-head; God shall he all in all; not personally [...], but essentially, [...], the Divine being, the Father, Son, and Spirit, shall be all in all, that is, communicate himself to the glorified Church, without the inter­vention of Ordinances and Creatures, and [Page 229]also without the proper and immediate exercise of the Office of the Mediator: For when the difference between God and the Creature is compleatly made up, what formal need will there be of a Me­diator? For we cannot make a Mediator of one, nor of those that are made one; It is an Apostolical maxim, A Mediator is not of one, Gal. 3.20. But if any say, how then is the Kingdom of Christ everlasting? I answer, this doth not at all hinder it, for he hath victory over all the King­doms of the world, all the four Monar­chies being fully conquered by him, Dan. 7. and the Gospel of his Kingdom is vertu­ally everlasting, Rev. 14.6. And Be­lievers by vertue of it, shall possess ever­lasting glory: neither shall this resigna­tion of the Kingdom be any diminution to his glory; for the song in Heaven will be, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive Power, and Riches, and Wisdom, and Strength, and Honour, and Glory, and Bles­sing, &c. Rev 5.11, 12. Others under­stand this Text, of a Temporal and Visible Throne and Kingdom to be erected in this World before the last Judgment. If these [Page 230]words, saith an excellent Divine, Do not intimate a reigning time for Christ's Church on earth, I do not at all understand them; Whether there shall be a personal conti­nuance of Christ on earth for a Thousand Years, as some hold, is very hard to be proved from the Scripture: Yet that there will be a glorious time for the Church on Earth, before the end of all things, is very clear. The 60 Chapter of Esay speaks it fully, those Promises wait for the full accomplishment: Great shall he the day of Jezreel, Hos. 2. ult. This is the world to come, as some judge, men­tioned, Heb. 2.5. Then shall Knowledg abound and cover the Earth, as the Wa­ters do the Sea. Some observe, that the Girdle was about the Loins, Ezek. 23.15. But then about the Paps, Rev. 1.13. to signifie how Knowledg shall rise higher in the last, than former Ages of the World: Then will Holiness encrease, All the Pots in the Lords House shall be holy, and Holiness written on the Bells of the Horses, Zech. last. Then there will be an end of differences amongst God's people; Now Ephraim is against Manasseh, and [Page 231] Manasseh against Ephraim, and both a­gainst Judah; but then the the Lord shall be one, and his Name one: Then will come down the new Heavens and the new Earth, wherein shall dwell Righ­teousness. Now men say, Quod libet, licet; Sic volo, sic jubeo; but then Judges as at the first, and Counsellors as at the be­ginning; Kings Nursing Fathers, &c. Ju­stice shall run down as Waters, and Righ­teousness as a mighty Stream; then shall Antichrist's Throne be utterly broken; That implacable Enemy shall fall and rise no more: And then will the Kingdom of Christ be enlarged, The Kingdoms of this world shall become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, Rev. 11.15. The Kingdom of Christ shall be more obser­vable and visible than ever. We are not to expect a Kingdom, de novo, but the en­crease and enlargement of that already extant: And though the Glory of his Kingdom is eclipsed, yet it will be ren­dred conspicuous to all, when he shall not Reign in a corner, but over the whole World: God hath set his King long since upon his holy Hill of Sion, all Power in [Page 232]Heaven and Earth was given to him at his Resurrection; so that Christ hath been in his Throne many hundred years, yet it shall grow and prevail, till all im­placable Opposers be put down, and his Kingdom appear in its Beauty in this world; though it will not be of the world, neither will the Saints have world­ly Troubles, nor worldly Joys, but shall have Heavenly Thrones; I mean their Thrones shall be in Heaven upon Earth: Then shall Overcomers know better than now they can apprehend, how great the Mercy here promised is, to sit with Christ in his Throne. If any ask, why Christ will thus priviledge them, the Answer is, from his free Grant; so saies the Text, To him that Overcometh will I grant: Nothing more free than a Grant from a King. All this Charter contained in these seven Promises, is from the Royal Grant of the King of Saints. Not for the Battles they have fought, not for the Victories they have gotten; but all flow from the Fountain of Free-Grace: All that was done well, was done by his assistance. So then it will not be their [Page 233]Merit, but his Mercy; not of Debt, but of Grace; when they are sate down in his Throne with him, they will and must cry, Grace, Grace. The Ʋses follow.

Ʋse 1. If these things be thus, Then let us all examine whether we be in the number of those that shall inherit the good of this, and all the Promises we have heard of: If any say, How shall we come to an assured Interest in them? The Answer is, All depends upon our being victorious, they are all entailed up­on Overcomers. Let us then to secure our Title to the one, clear the truth of our being in the number of the other, by discerning the soundness of our Regene­ration; for the Apostle saith, Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world, 1 Joh. 5.4. and all that is in the world; the God of the world, the Men of the world, and the Lusts of the world: without this work wrought in us, any of our Ene­mies will ruine us. When the Sons of Sceva thought to prevail, by adjuring the evil Spirit by the Name of Jesus, whom Paul Preached; the Spirit answered them, Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who [Page 234]are ye? And the men in whom the evil Spirit was, leaped upon them and overcame them, so that they fled naked and wounded, Acts 19.14, 15, 16. As if he had said, I know Jesus to be the Son of God, and Paul to be the Servant of God; the one may command me, the other may in his Name compel me, but who are ye? Have you the Power, Grace, and Spirit of Jesus or Paul? He knowing they wanted this, overcame them; And so will Satan conquer all unregenerate ones. Let us then be looking diligently to our selves, lest we fail of this Grace of God; All depends upon it as to Victory. O let us take heed lest our New-birth prove a false Conception, lest Ephraim-like we be unwise Sons, that stay long in the place of breaking forth of Children, Hof. 13.13. Many throws and pangs some have, Con­victions tending to Conversion; yet they go away, and the Soul not born of God. Many go on in a way of Profession all their days, and yet are not New-born; are not in the Spiritual Genealogy. And what do an Hundred Cyphers signifie without a Figure? Just nothing. To [Page 235]the same reckoning will all our external Religion come, without the New-birth: Above all things let us be careful lest we be deceived herein. And truely he had need be as wise as Solomon, to find out the true Mother. Three or four things there are that deceive People;

• 1. They have been convinced of Sin in a Legal way, and much troubled, and therefore hope they are born of God; But this is many a mans mistake to rest in them; They are troubled for Sin under the Word or Rod, yet sin again. The Chil­dren of Israel, when God slew them, then they sought him, and they returned and en­quired early after God: Nevertheless, they flattered him with their mouth, and lied to him with their tongue: For their heart was not right with him, neither were they sted­fast in his Covenant, Psal. 78.34, 36, 37.
• 2. Some mistake in the point of good disposition; They are well-enclined men, good-natured and hopeful men; but was not Christ's words to such an one, Joh. 3.3. Verily I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God? Why did Christ put him in mind [Page 236]of this? Why, because he was a well-enclined and disposed man, and did rest too much upon it; therefore Christ tells him where his danger lay.
• 3. Some plant the bottom of their Christianity upon Forms, in things that are but the husk, the Varnish and Plaistering of Re­ligion: They think it enough to go to an Ordinance, to keep their Church, to be Baptized, to come to the Lord's Ta­ble, to be able to give an account of the Lord's Prayer, Creed, and Ten Command­ments; to such I may say, as Christ did to the Pharisees, These things you ought to have done, but not leave the other undone. God did appoint these things, that men should have a Form of Godliness; but we must not take the Skin for the Body, nor the Shadow for Substance; For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision avails any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature, Ga­lat. 6.15. Think not to say within your selves, We have Abraham to our Father: Do not think, that because you are edu­cated in the Protestant Religion, under the means of Grace, that therefore you are born of God. If any shall ask, [Page 237] How shall I discern my new Birth? I an­swer,
  • 1. If your greatest work be to get the old Adam dissolved in your hearts, to get a proud heart to stoop, and the old Nature changed, this is to obtain the whole in some sense.
  • 2. If this Heart ascribe all to God, and nothing to our selves; we are God's Workmanship, what is Paul, what is Apollo, but Mini­sters by whom ye believed, 1 Cor. 3. It was God in the Ordinance that did the work. They that cry up men and means, and forget to magnifie the Free Grace of God, shew it is not right.
  • 3. It makes us of a compassionate Temper to them that are out of the way of God: Be gentle and meek unto all men, for we our selves also were sometimes foolish, dis­obedient, deceived, serving divers Lusts and Pleasures, Tit. 3.2, 3.
  • 4. We shall find an indelible Memory is imprinted upon this work: Not that all men can say what was the Time, Place, Sermon, when, where, and by which this work was done; for many are brought up un­der Godly Parents, and free from all scandalous Sins; this work steals in up­on [Page 238]some such, they know not when nor how: But they can say, Such they were in the times of their Unregeneracy, so foolish and ignorant, so opposite and a­verse to what is good, so careless and regardless of God and their Souls; but now, through Grace, they see and are ashamed of their former Blindness; they are reconciled in some measure, both in Judgment and Affections to that, and to those that are good: They desire to mind chiefly the one thing needful. God may sanctifie some even from the Womb, but there is something daily to be put away in all that are Regenerate; and though they cannot tell the first time, yet they can say it is often done; they do not turn to God once, but more and more, they have a great deal to do still.
• 4. There is always going with it a Spirit of Prayer, it begins and ends with Abba, Father. Prayer is the first thing in a Christian, and the last thing; Because ye are Sons, he hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father, Galat. 4.6. None of God's Children are still-born, Behold he prays, [Page 233]saies Christ of Paul, Act. 9.11.

Let us by such things as those try our Regene­ration; If we find we are indeed born of God, we overcome; and Overcomers inherit these Promises: Thus much in General. More particularly; If the War be rightly managed, we may be sure we shall prevail and conquer all our Enemies: As for instance,

• 1. If all our Faculties in their rank and file do fight against them: The Scripture tells us, The Stars in their Courses fought against Sisera, Judg. 5.20. Do the several Faculties of our Souls in their place and order wage war against Sin? In unsound hearts one Faculty fights against a Lust, another contends for it; Herod's Conscience fought against the motion Herodias made of cutting off John Baptist's Head, his Affections ran counter to his Conscience; this was no true Spiritual War: When both are a­gainst it, that Soul will be a Conqueror in the end.
• 2. If the War continues; Fire and Water will fight when they meet, and can never be reconciled; the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the Flesh, and these two [Page 240]are contrary each to other. Contraries will ever be contending; If our Combat be thus managed, it is a good sign God will in due time give us Victory.

Let such encourge themselves in expectation of it: Let none say, The Canaanite is still in the Land, and who may call himself an Overcomer? So long as it does, Gra­vitare, lye hard and heavy upon thee, as a thing out of its proper place, and make thee cry out as Paul, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me, thou art an Overcomer in God's account. To this purpose, the Original word in all these Texts before us is very observable, it is [...] and [...]: Not to him that Overcometh, as we read it; but to him that is Overcoming, to him that is Pray­ing, Striving, Wrestling, Fighting against these Enemies, to him that is in an Over­coming Posture; though the Enemy be not quite out of the field, to him shall these great Comforts in the Promises be given by Jesus Christ. If there be a Nolle peccatum, a bent of heart against Corruption and Temptation, thou per­suest them to Death, and wouldst be [Page 241]glad of an utter extirpation of them, then God accepts the Will for the Deed, and reckons thee a Conqueror. Though the Damsel under the Law was abused, yet if she made the utmost resistance she was able, and cried out, and there was none to help her, she was accoun­ted Innocent and Guiltless; because she was forced, and not free and voluntary in it. Whatsoever is born of God Over­cometh; it's not said , Whosoever, but Whatsoever: The person may be in particular Battles worsted by the Ene­my, yet the principle is a Conqueror in the end, and will prevail; for it ne­ver yields, but makes implacable Op­position: cries out to Heaven for help, and is on this account esteemed an O­vercomer. And therefore though we are still assaulted, yet it is that we may be exercised, that we may stand upon our Guard, and watch and pray conti­nually; we must keep our Armour up­on us, and not be secure, for then the Enemy gets advantage against us: Our Enemies are like to that famous Gene­ral Marcellus, of whom it is said, he was [Page 242]never quiet, Nec Victor, nec victus; nei­ther a Conqueror, nor Conquered: Let it be enough to know, they are, and shall be subdued effectually in due time. Above all things despair not of Victory, when we find them turbulent and re­bellious. Many Creatures struggle most when dying; The Devil rageth most when he is about to be cast out, Mark 9.15, 16. No Believer so overcomes here, as to say, He shall meet with no fur­ther Assaults. Our contendings are not to empty a Pit, that is more easily done; but to dry up a Spring and Fountain, which is very difficult, if possible, in this case; but Corruption will be bub­bling, and Temptations springing. And though a man hath overcome a Fit of Sickness, yet he cannot say he shall ne­ver be sick again; for he may have fur­ther Distempers, and be sick again even of the same Distemper; yea, and be brought low by it. So I may say here, A Believer, after he hath gotten a par­ticular Victory over his Enemies, yet cannot say, I shall never be assaulted a­gain by this or that Lust or Tempta­tion; [Page 243]For that may be, and thou be brought low thereby: Be not secure, but watchful. But here lies the great Comfort, though a man may be under the same Affliction, that he hath for­merly been recovered from, yea, and dye of it also; yet I may assure all true Believers, That their Sickness is not unto Death, as Christ said of Lazarus; It may bring them low, but never to hurt them by the Second Death. You cannot say as Alexander, Veni, vidi, vi­ci; I came, I saw, I overcame; but you may he exercised by these Enemies all your Life, and some have had the shar­pest Combat in their dying hours; yet always true Believers go off Conque­rors. We read of a great Victory ob­tained by Israel over the Syrians, yet at the return of the year the Syrians made another Invasion, though it was to their utter Overthrow, 1 King. 20. Your Spiritual Enemies are like the Syrians, though they be often baffled, yet they will renew their Assaults. But as Joshua made his Captains set their feet upon the necks of those Kings, Josh. 10.24. So [Page 244]will Christ, your Captain and Cham­pion, who hath already won the Field, cause you to tread down the wicked, wicked Lusts, wicked Men, and Satan that wicked one, As ashes under the soles of your feet, Mal. 4.3.

Let us all labour to be Overcoming, that we may get Christ's Grant, to sit with him in his Throne; Vincenti dabi­tur: Look to get a principle of true Faith, this is the Victory whereby we Over­come, even our Faith; if we fail of the truth of this Grace, our enemies will ut­terly ruine us Instead of sitting with Christ in his Throne, we shall be thrown out by Christ upon the Dunghil, and the Devil will everlastingly triumph over us. What will not men venture upon for Thrones and Kingdoms? Shall not a place in Christ's own Throne animate us to this holy War?

To Conclude, You that are true Be­lievers, you have begun to be Victorious, Go on Conquering and to Conquer. To this end,

• 1. Beware of Divisions; Di­vide & Impera, Divide and Rule. An Ar­my divided is easily routed. Our Divi­sions [Page 245]give our Enemies great advantage, as we have seen by sad Experience. It was said of old, Dum singuli pugnant, omnes vincuntur; whilst they fought single, they were all Overcome. Union is our strength, O that at length Christians would study to joyn Hearts and Hands against the Enemies. It was good Poli­cy in Joab, when he saw the Enemy had beset them before and behind, he said to his Brother, If the Syrians he too strong for me, then thou shalt help me; but if the Children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee, 2 Sam. 10.11. So should Christians say to each o­ther, If Corruptions be too strong for us, you shall come and help us; and if Tem­ptations be too strong for you, we will come and help you: This would much weaken the hands of our Enemies, and make us more and more Victorious.
• 2. Give Christ the glory of every Vi­ctory, and he will give us to go on yet Conquering and to Conquer. I have read of a Victory called Victoria Hallelu­jetica; it was on this occasion, The Sa­xons here in England being to engage the [Page 246] Britains, the Leader of the Britains ha­ving his Army in Dales and Valleys, or­dered them to cry Hallelujah; which they did, and through the Eccho of the Voice in the Valleys, the Enemy apprehended the number to be more than they were, and through fear fled. Let Heaven and Earth ring again with the Eccho of your Praises for the beginnings of Victory, and the Enemy will flee before you.
• 3. A­bove all, Go out against them, as David did against Goliah, in the Name of the Lord. Austin being troubled he long fought against a Corruption & could not overcome it, thought he heard a Voice saying to him, In te stas, & non stas; Thou standest in thy self, and therefore thou standest not: Say with the Psalmist, I will go in the strength of the Lord, I will make mention of thy Righteousness only, Psal. 71.16. David with a Sling and a Stone, acting Faith in the Name of God, prevailed against the Enemy; but Adam though without sin, standing in himself, was Overcome. Believers, you have a good Second, a strong Champion, Je­sus Christ, God hath laid Help upon this [Page 247]Mighty One: Rely on him alone, that through him you may have Victory, and so inherit these Promises. And if these be not enough, 'tis said, Rev. 21.7. He that Overcometh, shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my Son.